Dangan Ronpa: Hope Prevails
by mtnetwarrior
Summary: The third in this series, which for the record is included in Persona X Death Note, the 78th scramble to retrieve their friends. And in the process, Tora finds out the true secret behind Izuru Kamukura.
1. Prologue: False Island Paradise

**This is the third book for the Dagan Ronpa Trilogy. Disclaimer: I don't own Dangan Ronpa or Ace Attorney.**

Prologue: False Island Paradise

It had been a few weeks since Naegi and sixteen of his friends had survived a Mutual Killing game instigated by Yasuke Matsuda within the sealed off Hope's Peak Academy. They had joined up with Tora Wright's father, Phoenix Wright, and his organization Future Foundation. Using their individual talents, each of Naegi's friends contributed in some way to helping reverse the damage done by the doomsday cult known as SHSL Despair. The athletes in the group, Leon Kuwata, Aoi Asahina, and Sakura Oogami, took to search and rescue. Kiyotaka Ishimaru put his years of hard work to good use in an effort to restore the world's governments.

Celestia Ludenberg also contributed, using her gambling skills to steal the fortunes of corrupt businessmen who had turned to greed as a result of the chaos. This money was sent to Byakuya Togami who then used his business contacts to redistribute the money to the commonwealth in an effort to restore the world's economy. Touko Fukawa pulled double duty, writing out uplifting speeches that Naegi broadcast to the world to lift their spirits. And of course, Genocider Shou turned from serial killing to assassination, taking out the leaders of SHSL Despair whenever they were located. She even changed her blood-written message from "Bloodbath Fever" to "Despair Cannot Beat Hope" as a way of giving the middle finger to the rest of the cult.

Mondo Oowada and his Crazy Diamonds patrolled the streets, fixing up decrepit buildings and hunting down the SHSL Despair demonstrators alongside Mukuro Ikusaba and the Fenrir Company. Chihiro Fujisaki and his creation Alter Ego worked to remove all the viruses from the world's computer networks. All-in-all, things were going smoothly, but they were still worried about the friends Izuru Kamukura, the Super High School Level Despair, had kidnapped for the next part of his plan.

Now the seventeen of them were being driven by convoy to where Kamukura's hideout was. While on the way there, Fukawa was throwing up into a barf bag. "Motion sickness?," Maizono asked sympathetically. Fukawa shook her head. "Morning sickness. You remember how Togami's now the last living member of his family?" Maizono nodded. "Well, he was planning on rebuilding it from the ground up based on his own ideals," Fukawa said, "Said he could never understand the whole idea of having children through multiple women. So a few days before Matsuda stole our memories he... He asked me to be the sole bearer of his children!"

Maizono realized what was going on. "Wait, are you saying you're pregnant with Togami's child right now?" Fukawa nodded. "And have been since before Matsuda's little douchebag move. Makes me glad he was planning on having me as one of the survivors. Togami would have torn him apart if he had found out I was pregnant with his child after I was dead." Finally the convey pulled up to the place where Kamakura was thought to be. After Oogami broke the door down they found, to their relief, that all their friends were safe inside. Unconscious, but safe.

* * *

Later that day, Tora found his father interrogating a member of Future Foundations he hadn't seen before. "Why did you hook those kids up to the rehabilitator?," Phoenix said. "It's obvious they've been working for SHSL Despair the whole time," the man said, "I thought since they were once friends with your son we could give them a chance to reform." "They don't need reformation," Tora said, "Or didn't you pay attention when Matsuda said our friends had been kidnapped?" Maizono who was also in the room, suddenly gasped. "His surface memories... He's working with Kamukura."

The man suddenly tried to pull a knife on Phoenix, but he saw it coming and quickly disarmed the spy. The students then reconvened around the mental simulator, which their friends had been hooked up to. "There's no way to shut it down right now," said Dick Gumshoe, one of Phoenix's old friends, "The only way to get them out before the program finishes running is for them to experience a simulated death." Fujisaki thought for a moment. "If that program finishes, they'll be implanted with the AI Junko, and be able to spread that to every human in the world. But if something were to happen to prevent that..." He began working with the program interface.

* * *

Hajime Hinata, who could pass for Tora Wright easily, entered Hope's Peak Academy for the first time. He had been stoked to have been invited to learn at this prestigious school, where the hope of the current generation was groomed for guaranteed success. However, as he stepped through the main gate, something strange began to happen, and he found himself blacking out for some unknown reason. When he came to, there was a door in front of him, surrounded by darkness. For some reason, he felt compelled to open it.

Inside, he saw fifteen other students. Speaking with all of them, he learned that the door leading back out was somehow locked. Creepier still, all of them had the same experience coming in as Hinata. As they were discussing this, a delightfully friendly voice called out, "Ah good, everyone's here. Now we can begin." From behind the podium in the front of the classroom popped what looked like a pink stuffed bunny in a tutu carrying a wand of some king. "Greetings," the bunny said, "I'm the Magical Girl Miracle Star Usami. But you can just call me Usami. I'll be your teacher here at Hope's Peak Academy. And I have exciting news for all of you. For your first day, we'll be starting with a wonderful field trip!"

She waved her wand and the walls of the classroom fell away like the backdrop of a movie set, revealing the students had somehow been transported to a tropical island. Most of the students were shocked, which was understandable. "Welcome to Dangan Island," Usami said, "You'll find a wide variety of things to do on your stay here. Your main goal while you're here is to make friends with each other and collect Hope Crystals. Once you have collectively obtained a certain number of Hope Crystals, we will leave this island and return home much better friends."

Usami disappeared, and the students left to explore. Only Hinata and one other student remained on the beach where they started. "I guess I should introduce myself," the students said, "My name is Nagito Komaeda. I was selected by random lottery to become Hope's Peak's Super High School Level Luckster." Hinata nodded. "My name is Hajime Hinata. I'm..." Suddenly he found himself drawing a blank. "Come to think about it, I can't remember my special talent. Must be shock from our situation. Give me a little time and I think I'll be able to remember."

He reached into his pocket to get the ElectroiD he had been assigned, but it didn't have his talent on it either. "Well, we may as well check out the island. I'm curious about the other students attending this field trip." On the way, Hinata decided to check up on various things in his ElectroiD, like a map of the island, and list of rules while staying there.

1. Excess violence is forbidden on this island. Let's live peacefully and quietly together.

2. Let's gather "Hope Shards" by deepening our bonds with our friends.

3. Throwing garbage and damaging the environment is forbidden. Let's live in harmony with nature on this beautiful island.

4. The supervising teacher will not interfere directly with student activities, unless any rules are broken.

Hinata and Komaeda's first stop was the airport, where they met Kazuichi Souda and Gundam Tanaka. While there were planes on the island, they were simply props and could not take off at all. Hinata and Komaeda then stopped by the supermarket, where they met Mikan Tsumiki and Ibuki Mioda. The supermarket had a wide variety of goods and food, maybe a little too much for sixteen people. The next stop was Hotel Mirai, where each person was given their own private cottage for living purposes. In the outer area with the pool, they met Nekomaru Nidai, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu, and Mahiru Koizumi.

Inside the luxurious hotel lobby, Hinata and Komaeda met Peko Pekoyama and Chiaki Nanami. In the restaurant above, they met Teruteru Hanamura, and Sonia Nevermind, the former of whom was trying to trick the latter into doing something lewd. There was also a farm on the island, where Hinata and Komaeda met Akane Owari and Hiyoko Saionji, the latter of whom was busy squishing ants. On the central island, in the middle of Jabberwock Park, Hinata saw someone he wasn't expecting to see. Instead of a tiny girl, it was a rather obese man.

_'Wait... This looks like Byakuya Togami, but it should be... Hold on, why am I suddenly thinking like this. Of course Byakuya Togami is in our class. It was all over the message boards.'_ Just then, a sound like a school chime went off. From a nearby monitor, Usami appeared and gave an announcement. 'Congratulations on getting the first set of Hope Shards. As a reward, I have a special present for each of you. Please report back to the beach at once.

* * *

"It'll take me some time to remove the AI Junko," Fujisaki said, "But I should have it done by the time permanent damage can occur. In the meantime, I have just the means to get our friends out of the simulation." He typed in a few program commands. "We'll be able to communicate with our friends inside the simulation without Kamukura knowing about it. Then they can do the rest. But for that to happen, we need to hijack the system." He handed Enoshima a microphone. "I think you know what you're role is." Enoshima smiled. "This could be fun." She cleared her throat.

* * *

Back at the beach, Usami cheerfully gave the students their present; school swimsuits so they could enjoy the ocean during their stay. The students started off having a good time enjoying the water, until the sky suddenly darkened. "What's going on?," Sonia said, "Is that a storm?" Usami suddenly looked panicky. "What's going on here?! I didn't do anything... What is this is?!" From her reaction, Hinata got the distinct impression Usami wasn't responsible.

Just then, a nearby monitor turned on. Over it came a more disturbingly friendly voice, first clearing its throat. 'Hello... Hello... Mic check! Mic check! Can you all hear me? Greetings new students, please gather at Jabberwock Park at once. Don't be late!' Usami seemed to be trembling. "That voice... This isn't possible! I must stop this right away!" And with that, she vanished. The students quickly changed back into their normal clothes and hurried to the park.

Once there, the heard a disturbing laugh coming from behind the statue in the center of the park. From almost out of nowhere popped what looked like a stuffed bear that was half-white and half-black. "Welcome! Welcome! I am Hope's Peak Academy's Headmaster, Monokuma!" "So it is you!," Usami said, "Why are you here?!" Monokuma gave a silent chuckle. "Simple... I'm here to hijack your little field trip." The other students seemed confused by Monokuma's sudden appearance.

"Stand back everyone!," Usami said, "I don't know what he's doing here, but so long as I have my magic stick..." But at that moment Monokuma suddenly dog-piled Usami and grabbed her stick, breaking it in half. He then proceeded to somehow alter Usami so that half of her was a darker red color. "That's better," Monokuma said, "Now you'll be my new sister, Monomi. And now that we have that out of the way..." "Hold it!," Monomi said, "You can't just go making these changes as you like!" Monokuma responded by punching Monomi hard enough to send her flying.

"Naughty, naughty," Monokuma said, almost sarcastically, "You shouldn't talk back to your brother like that!" He turned to the students. "Sorry for that minor inconvenience, but I have an important announcement to make. To make things more interesting on this island, I am introducing the 'Field Trip of Mutual Killing' game! Naturally, all of you are the participants." Monomi got back up and said, "No way! I will not allow such a thing on this island!" Monokuma simply kicked her away before she could make a move against him.

Monokuma then cleared his throat. "As I was saying, the Field Trip of Mutual Killing game. The rules are actually quite simple. To leave the island, one of you must kill one of your friends... And then get away with it. Much more exciting and fun then simply making friends so you can leave, right? To judge whether or not you have successfully fooled everyone into thinking you did not commit murder, a class trial will be held after a corpse is found. During the trial, the surviving students will debate on who the murderer is, and then take a vote. If you vote correctly, the murderer shall be punished. If you don't get it correctly, then everyone else will be punished in the murderer's place. It really is that simple... At least in concept. You may find the actual practice to be a bit more complex, however."

"Hold on," Souda said, "What do you mean by 'punished'?" "I mean as in the way all murderers tend to get punished when they are caught," Monokuma said gleefully, "By... Execution! Each execution will be specially tailored to the villain of the trial, which means we could see some very exciting ones! As for how you decide to kill... Well that's up to you. Beating, slashing, strangling, poisoning... Whatever you can come up with is fine. Try to get the best results from the worst methods. Makes the class trials that much more interesting."

"Don't fuck with us now!," Kuzuryuu said, "What makes you think you can make us kill each other?!" "Who's making you do anything?," Monokuma said, "I'm not _making_ you kill anyone. That's up to you guys. Though expect me to throw an incentive or two your way if I feel things are getting too dull. Regardless, I hope you all enjoy your time here, and the Mutual Killing game gets played fair and square." "Hold on now," Nidai said, "I've let say your peace up until now. But if you think you can just force us into this game you've got another thing coming!" Monokuma soon found himself surrounded by Nidai, Owari, and Pekoyama.

Looking around him, Monokuma sighed. "Well, I suppose I should have seen this coming. Fortunately, I came prepared." He turned to the statue of the five guardian animals in the center of the park. "O scions of the void between light and shadow, hear me! Fulfill thy ancient contract. Monobeasts! I bid thee rise!" The statue began to crack, revealing five robotic animals; an ape, a horse, a tiger, a snake, and an eagle. The sight of them suddenly made the students freeze. Monomi quickly stepped between the students and the giant robots. "Everyone, stay back! I'll protect you, even if it costs me my life!"

Monokuma gave a silent chuckle. "Be careful what you wish for... Dear sister!" And with that, he leapt onto the Monoeagle, which revealed twin Gatling guns on the tips of its wings. The guns opened fire, rending Monomi to bits of fluff. One of the bullets grazed Hinata's cheek, causing his eyes to go wide. The next thing he heard was Hanamura screaming. "Impressive yes?," Monokuma said, "My Monobeasts are terrifying death machines. I hope you learn from my sister's fatal mistake. Oh, and I've updated your ElectroiDs. They'll explain the rules for this game. Make sure to go over them carefully."

He then disappeared, and the Monobeasts scattered in five different directions. Hinata looked around at the others, each of whom were just as dumbfounded and scared as he. "This isn't real... This isn't real... This isn't real...," Hanamura kept chanting. "How are these impossible things happening man?," Souda asked nervously. "They're not impossible," Togami said, "Those Monobeasts are just machines. Monokuma likely is as well. Therefore, they are likely being controlled by someone else. But there's an even bigger threat on this island than even those robots. And that... Is the sixteen of us. This bear calling himself Monokuma has created a terrifying atmosphere, and will only let one of us out if they kill another student and get away with it."

The implications of Togami's words were not lost on the others. Not only did the students have to fear each other, but they couldn't even trust themselves not to kill. _'This is not good...,'_ Hinata thought, _'This isn't what it was supposed to be. I had come to accept that we were somehow on a tropical island for a field trip meant to create friendship between us, but now... How did this even happen? Where did those robots come from? Who is behind Monokuma? And... Can I trust that none of the others will try to kill me? Hell, can I even trust myself not to kill anyone?'_

* * *

Back in the computer room of Future Foundations, Enoshima was laughing pretty hard. "Well, what did you guys think, pretty convincing, right?" The others had to admit it was impressive how easily she could pull it off. While Kamukura had seen one thing, their friends had seen something else altogether, and now knew what was going on. "It's up to them now," Naegi said, "Will it hurt when it finally happens?" "Of course not pal," Gumshoe said, "Sure they can still feel pain while they're in the simulation, makes it feel more real. But once they encounter a situation that will prove fatal, the pain sensor will shut off and they'll be kicked out of the simulation for their own safety." "Then the only thing we need to do," Tora said, "Is make sure it all goes smoothly."

To be continued...

**Yeah, I kinda pulled another reversal here, but you'll get the full story as the... Well, story, moves on.**


	2. Chapter 1: Tropical Despair

**Bad news, a murder's gonna happen this chapter. Good news, it won't be a real murder. Also the trial part will be taken straight out of the game in a different format. Please don't call is plagiarism, after all it's not like the whole chapter is like that. Disclaimer: I don't own Dangan Ronpa or Ace Attorney.**

Chapter 1: Tropical Despair... Or Not

Hinata looked at his ElectroiD to see that a few new rules had been put in place by Monokuma. Apparently he couldn't remove the old ones, but was still able to add new ones.

5. In the event of a murder in the students' group, a school trial shall commence. Participation in the school trial will be mandatory.

6. During the school trial, students will attempt to identify the culprit. If the culprit is successfully identified, they shall be executed for their crime.

7. Failing to identify the culprit will be considered violating the school rules. In this event, all students except the culprit shall be executed.

8. A culprit who successfully hides their guilt shall be permitted to leave the island.

9. After 3 or more people first discover a dead body, a "body discovery announcement" shall be broadcast across the island.

10. It is strictly forbidden to damage any facilities on the island, including any monitors or surveillance cameras.

11. You may freely investigate the island. No special restrictions will be placed on your activities.

Warning. More rules may be added in the future, at the discretion of the school.

Hinata sighed. He was sitting in a folding chair in the hotel courtyard, which had grown dark. He looked up at the night sky and gazed at the stars. _'I don't think I've ever been so removed from normal life.'_ With the announcement of nighttime, Hinata returned to his private cottage outside the hotel and flopped on the bed, drifting off to sleep. Though the events of that day still haunted him, he was too tired to worry about nightmares.

* * *

Inside the hotel lobby, several people were talking among themselves. "The best case scenario would be to create a mystery that cannot be solved through any amount of reasoning, but there's not enough resources to do that at this time." "We could pull off a double. That way we can maximize the number of people who get released at once." "Too risky. I say we start with a simple one victim, one murderer scenario. If we put as many red herrings in place as possible, we might still achieve the desired result. And I have an idea about how the first incident should go."

* * *

Hinata woke up the next morning and stepped outside his cottage, where he ran into Souda. "Hey dude," Souda said, "You see the crazy shit on the central island. Those Monobeasts are there guarding the bridges to the other islands." That's when Monokuma popped out of nowhere. "Naturally. They _are_ the guardians of the Jabberwock Islands after all. They'll be here to make sure I can keep an eye on all you students." And with that, he disappeared. "Guess we won't be exploring too much at first," Pekoyama said as she approached, "Listen we're all gathering in the hotel restaurant. Togami has something to say regarding this situation."

The students settled in with some breakfast before the meeting. As Hinata started to dig in, he heard a great crash and looked over to see a rather ridiculous sight. Somehow, Tsumiki had gotten herself tangled in a few power cords and had fallen over in such a way that her panties were fully visible. "Someone help me please!," Tsumiki hollered, "I've fallen down and can't get up!" "That's... An unusual way to fall down," Togami said. Hanamura seemed to be getting a nosebleed. "You won't hear me complaining about it. Very nice indeed."

Tsumiki blushed. "Please stop staring at me! This is embarrassing!" Mioda giggled. "This is what they call moe, right?! Ibuki is impressed!" Koizumi and Komaeda quickly helped Tsumiki up and removed the cord around her legs. "You okay Tsumiki?," Komaeda asked. Tsumiki nodded, but was clearly blubbering. "Well then," Togami said, "If we're all done making fools of ourselves, I'd like to get this meeting started. First of all, about this game Monokuma has put in place. While I highly doubt it is a joke, it is also clear that it is meant to make us paranoid of each other. Therefore, in order to overcome this obstacle we must pull together as a unit. And in order to do that, strong leadership is called for."

"That makes sense," Nidai said, "Every good team needs a captain after all." "And to that end," Togami said, "I have decided to take on this responsibility myself." "Hold on there," Koizumi said, "Why should you suddenly be the leader? Don't you think that's a little aggressive?" Togami huffed. "I'm the heir to the Togami family, as such I was destined to lead. Besides, in a situation such as this a little aggression is called for." Koizumi sighed. "Well that last part I'll buy, but if we're talking someone destined to lead, then why not Sonia?" Sonia shook her head. "I don't think I'd be a good fit. My role is really more of a decoration."

"Listen," Komaeda said, "Togami volunteered for this, so I think that shows good character. Besides, he's the best fit to be team leader." "I guess so...," Koizumi said. Togami nodded. "Don't worry. As long as I am leader I won't let there be a single victim. Now then, on to the main issue at hand. Follow me to Jabberwock Park. There's something there that has to be seen to be believed." They group headed for the park, where they found an unusual sight. On the pedestal in the center of the park, where the statue had once been, was an odd clockwork device that seemed to be counting down. Whatever it was counting down to, there were only twenty-one days until it happened.

"This wasn't here when we were gathered in the park last night," Nidai said, "Where did it come from?" "I wish I could say," Togami replied, "I discovered it this morning when I was exploring the island again." "You don't think it could be a bomb of some kind, do you?," Tanaka suggested, causing a few of the students to freak out. Togami simply shook his head. "If they were going to destroy the islands, they would have done so already. There should be no need for a flashy countdown." "This is very mysterious," came Monomi's voice. The students all turned to see her standing behind them.

"What a minute," Koizumi said, "Didn't Monokuma kill you?" "It's all right," Monomi said, "I can't die after all. So long as I have a replacement body, and I have a lot of them, I'll be just fine." "Makes sense," Souda said, "You can't kill wasn't isn't alive to begin with." Togami nodded in agreement. "Monomi, since you're here, perhaps you can tell us what this countdown is for." Monomi looked sad all of a sudden. "I'm sorry, I don't know. Even though Monokuma made me his little sister, he doesn't tell me anything."

Togami scoffed. "If that's all, then there's no need for you to hang around." Monomi looked sad, then disappeared. "That was a little harsh, wasn't it?," Sonia said. Souda looked at her. "Hey, for all we know, that little pink rabbit could be in cahoots with Monokuma. Right now we've got bigger things to worry about, like this clock." "It does seem rather ominous," Hinata agreed, "How did it get installed in a single night?" "That's just more proof that none of this is real," Hanamura said. "There's more to it than that," Togami said, "We still don't know how the sixteen of us got here. And more importantly, Jabberwock Island is a famous island resort. How come it suddenly seems deserted?"

"That's right," Tanaka said, "Both the tourists and the local residents seem to have disappeared without a trace, leaving only the sixteen of us here to inhabit it. That does not happen by accident." "It shouldn't be such a mystery," Saionji said, "Those Monobeasts massacred everyone, simple as that." Togami nodded. "That's definitely a possibility, but we don't know for certain. That's only one mystery added to a whole pile of them, which means our situation was not caused by some after-school club. I think we're dealing with an extremely powerful organization of some kind, but their motives are currently unknown."

"That makes sense," Souda said, "Those Monobeasts looked very sophisticated. That level of machinery takes expert knowledge and high-end equipment to put together. They must be controlling them while watching us through the security cameras." "Perhaps they are somewhere on the island," Pekoyama suggested. Togami shook his head. "It wouldn't make sense for them to be here on the island with us. Too great a risk of us discovering them. No, they'll be somewhere else, perhaps a boat some miles away from the islands."

"What kind of organization could pull something like this off?," Owari asked. "I can think of several off the top of my head," Togami said, "My own family's conglomerate, the kingdom of Novoselic, the Kuzuryuu family... These are all just examples of course. There's no proof that any of them are involved. But this organization is definitely on the same scale as them." "Well," Hinata said, "Once we find out who they are, we can find out what they're after, and maybe find a way off of this island. We were given free reign to investigate the island, so we should take advantage."

"Agreed," Togami said, "And let me make one thing clear. We have no time for foolish ideas such as murder. Our primary focus must be on finding out who our enemy is." Hinata felt a lot calmer after hearing Togami's words. He suddenly felt as if he could trust the other students again. The students spent most of the day trying to look for clues, but there were very little in the area they were limited to. As night began to fall, Monokuma came up over the monitors. 'All students please come to Jabberwock Park for a fun recreational activity. Attendance is optional, but you will certainly want to attend, as some very interesting secrets will be revealed.'

Even though Monokuma had allowed the students the option of not attending, they were all curious as to what he was going to reveal. When they returned to the park, they saw a Japanese-styled stage in front of the giant clock. From behind the stage, Monokuma appeared wearing a blue suit jacket. "Well, well, good to see everyone was curious enough to attend. I promise you will not be disappointed. For tonight's recreational entertainment, we will be performing a manzai for you all."

"Oh wow," Sonia said, "That's a form of Japanese stand-up comedy isn't it? But... Why did you say 'we'?" Monokuma chuckled silently, then dragged Monomi out from almost nowhere. She had been dolled up in a little pink dress. "Of course you need two people to do a manzai," Monokuma said, "So I had my little sister brought here for that very purpose." Monomi looked worried. "I'm going to get smacked, aren't I?" "That usually happens in a manzai show," Monokuma said. He dragged Monomi over to the microphone and began the show:

Monokuma: Today I'd like to display my incredible mind reading powers.

Monomi: You have that?

Monokuma: Yep. I'll now try and read what your favorite food is.

Monomi: Here's a hint. I'm a rabbit.

Monokuma: Ca... Davers!

Monomi: Wait! I don't eat dead people!

Monokuma: Just giving a surprise punch-line. I know it's really carrots. Now it's your turn to tell a killer joke. Not a _killing_ joke, of course. That's the students job.

Monomi: Um... I'm not very good at jokes.

Monokuma: Don't be silly. Everyone can have a sense of humor. You just have to know how to appease the God of Comedy. For example, which is better? Draining your blood while you're still alive, or waiting until you die?

Monomi: Why do you ask such a cruel question? And does it even have a right answer?

Monokuma: Of course it does. Naturally waiting until you die is better, because then you don't suffer when it spills. Bleeding to death takes far too long.

Monomi: What does this even have to do with appeasing the God of Comedy?

Monokuma: Nothing. But telling a funny joke to someone while his presence is near will make the other person funny as well. You just have to know when you are in his presence. I'm actually doing you a big favor.

Monomi: That wasn't even funny.

Monokuma: My, my. Monomi certainly gets angry easily. And she can be very dangerous when she's angry. Like the tutorial boss in a first dungeon.

Monomi: How is that threatening? It's called a tutorial boss for a reason.

Monokuma: Good point. But Monomi is still a very bad girl. You wanna know why? Just between you and me... Monomi has selfishly stolen you guys' memories!

Monomi: Wait... What?!

Monokuma: None of you remember how you arrived on this island in the first place, do you? That's because Monomi took all away your memories.

Monomi: W-What are you saying...?

Monokuma: And I'm not just talking about your memories of how you arrived here. Oh, no, it goes back much further than that. She actually took away several years you guys spent at Hope's Peak Academy!

Monomi: How...?!

Monokuma: Feels good to get that out in the open, right? Memory loss is such an old cliche. Most stories would leave that one hanging until the very end. Not a bad way of leaving a cliffhanger, mind, but it always feels like such a cop-out.

Monomi: S-Stop please!

Monokuma: Surprised aren't you? None of you are freshmen like you thought you were! But you've all forgotten, so you think you are! That's just rotten, isn't it?! In fact, it almost feels familiar somehow... Eh, I got nothing.

Monomi: You can't do this!

At that moment, Monokuma delivered a serious punch to Monomi's face, sending her flying off the stage. The other students were flabbergasted at Monokuma's revelation. "Well now, I promised you wouldn't be disappointed. Though to be fair, I may have broken that promise depending on your point of view. Now I know what you're all thinking. 'There's no way he can be telling the truth about this.' I can't blame you for thinking like that. But let me say this, do you remember a sudden blackout when you first set foot inside the school? And then seeing a classroom door surrounded by darkness?"

The students all nodded nervously. "Well then," Monokuma said, "That should be sufficient proof for you. You see, that was the very moment when your memories were erased, leading you to believe yesterday was your very first school day. How many years could it have been, I wonder? And what of your friends and families? Not to worry, I intend to restore your memories. However, there is one condition. One of you must start the Mutual Killing game. Doesn't matter who, either. Then once the class trial is finished, I'll begin preparations to have your memories restored. It takes time, however, so don't expect it immediately following the trial."

"Wait," Hinata said, "Are saying you're giving us a motive to kill?" "That's right," Monokuma said, "Just waiting around won't cut it. I have to give you a push in the right direction. Otherwise this game will take forever to finish." "Give me a break," Togami said, "You honestly think we'll kill each other over some ridiculous story like that?" "We don't even believe that story in the first place!," Koizumi said. "Perhaps you yourself don't," Monokuma said, "But who's to say there aren't those among you who do? After all, none of you know each other. And besides, you haven't noticed the traitor in your ranks!"

"Traitor?," Kuzuryuu asked, "Who do you mean?" "There were only supposed to be fifteen students coming to this island," Monokuma said, "Yet there are sixteen of you here. That means one of you is a traitor, and even I don't know who it is!" "That can't be," Pekoyama, "He's just trying to confuse us." Monokuma gave a silent chuckle. "Can you really say that? You don't even know each others' true natures. You can't even tell whether or not one of you is scheming murder. Heck, even I don't know. But I would think most people would want revenge on the traitor who deceived them. So strike first, and strike well, and maybe you'll get the traitor before he or she picks you off... One by one."

The students just stood there in silence, not knowing what to make of Monokuma's words. "Could there really be a traitor among us?," Tsumiki asked nervously. "Of course not," Togami said, "It's just more nonsense Monokuma is using to create a despair-ridden environment and try to drive us to kill each other." "He's right," Kuzuryuu said, "That sort of stuff is strictly for fairy tales." Hinata couldn't help but wonder. _'We don't even know each others' true natures, so how do we know there isn't someone among us who might actually believe Monokuma's story.' _As the nighttime alert came on, Togami said, "We should disperse for the evening. A good night's sleep will let us clear our heads." "That sounds good," Nanami said, "I was starting to get sleepy." The students headed back to their cottages for the night.

* * *

"That was some... Unusual manzai there Enoshima," Fukawa said, "A little different from the stuff you and Ikusaba did back during the school festival. Man those were the days..." "Kinda felt like arguing with myself though," Enoshima said, "That rabbit kinda gives me a weird vibe." "We know the AI Junko program is somewhere in that simulation," Asahina said, "Once Fujisaki locates it, getting rid of it will be child's play for him." Tora looked at the monitor that let outsiders check up on those inside the simulation. "Already our friends have things in place. Let's just hope it goes off without a hitch."

* * *

The following morning, most of the students gathered in the hotel restaurant for a breakfast meeting. The only exception was Kuzuryuu. "He said he couldn't be bothered to join us," Pekoyama said. Togami sighed. "I suppose it won't do any good trying to force him. Very well, we have no choice but to proceed without him." He finished the massive amount of food on his plate and stood up. "My fellow students, you'll be happy to hear I plan on organizing a party for this evening. This party will be an all-nighter, all the way up until morning."

That news got a lot of the students excited. "I must insist that attendance to this party be mandatory," Togami said, "That means everyone attends." "Do you really think that's necessary?," Hinata said, "I mean, who wouldn't want to attend a party at this time? It'd be a great way to relieve all the stress we've been under up til now." "That's true," Koizumi said, "Only... Why have a party now of all times? Don't get me wrong, I'm excited. But it seems kinda... Out of the blue." Komaeda laughed softly. "Come on you guys. I'm sure Togami is just concerned for everyone's state of mind. And a party would be a great way for all of us to grow closer as friends."

Togami nodded. "I feel it is essential that we all be gathered in one place tonight. While Komaeda does have the right idea, I also have other reasons for why a party is necessary. I'm afraid that's all I can say." Nidai shrugged. "Whatever your reasons, it will certainly make for an excellent distraction." "I can handle the food detail," Hanamura said. "Where are we going to have the party?," Nanami asked, "At this restaurant?" "Not a good idea," Togami said, "We need a place that's not easily accessible from the outside. Somewhere that we can easily keep Monokuma out of."

"Why not use the old lodge outside the hotel grounds?," Komaeda suggested, "It's nice and closed. All it needs is a bit of cleaning." "I know that place," Pekoyama said, "But didn't Monomi forbid us from going in there? Something about a planned reconstruction?" That's when Monomi decided to appear out of nowhere. "I heard everything you were saying! And if it is for the goal of strengthening your friendship, I will gladly allow you to use the old lodge for your party." Having said that, she promptly vanished. "Guess that settles it," Koizumi said, "We're having the party at the old lodge."

Komaeda got out a set of chopsticks. "Since our first task is deciding who will clean up the old lodge for the party, why don't we draw lots? Whoever gets the red chopstick has to clean." They each drew a chopstick, and Komaeda wound up with the red one. "So much for Super High School Level Luckster," Hinata said with a smirk. Komaeda chuckled. "It's fine. I'm actually pretty good with cleaning." Komaeda left to get started, Hanamura headed into the kitchen for ingredients, and Pekoyama left to tell Kuzuryuu about the party.

That night, after the nighttime announcement, the students snuck out of their cottages one by one. As Hinata walked inside, he noted how shabby it looked compared to the main hotel. Togami stood just inside the main hallway. "Ah, you're here Hinata. Please hold out your arms for a moment. I need to do a quick body check." Hinata looked a little nervous, but simply accepted it as part Togami's vow to not allow a single victim. After patting Hinata down and not finding any dangerous items, Togami let him pass through to the party.

Before he moved on, Hinata noticed the two duralumin cases lying next to Togami. "I found these in the supermarket," Togami explained, "I'm using one of them to store any dangerous items I find. The other... Is for a worst-case scenario." Hinata looked concerned, but headed for the main hall anyway. Inside, the windows were sealed off with heavy iron plates, but otherwise the room looked inviting. Komaeda had certainly done a good job cleaning the place up, and there was already some food laid out by Hanamura.

"Place looks great, right?," Komaeda asked, "I even brought in a carpet from the supermarket. I was hoping it would cover the entire floor, because of all the gaps in the floorboards, but it wasn't big enough. Still, it looks a lot better than when I started." Hinata talked with some of the other students who had shown up and learned that all of them had to go through a body check as well. After a bit, most of the students showed. "Hanamura is in the kitchen," Togami said, "And it would appear Kuzuryuu will not be joining us."

"I'm sorry," Pekoyama said, "I did tell him about the party, but..." Togami simply waved his hand dismissively. "It's fine. That's only one person absent out of sixteen. With the old lodge sealed off as it is I doubt we need to worry about him." He looked around the room, then narrowed his eyes at the plate of food. "What is this?!" He grabbed the skewered grilled meat of the serving table. After shoving the meat itself down his mouth, he took the skewers and threw them into one of the duralumin cases he was using. At that moment, Hanamura came in. "Greeting everyone. I have the main... Course... Wait, did you guys start eating already?!"

"I take it then that you made this?," Togami asked, "How could you implement such a dangerous item in your cooking." He pointed to the skewers in the still-open case. Hanamura became confused. "But, that's just Churrasco, a South American skewered meat dish. I thought it would go well with the tropical environment." "The food itself is fine," Togami said, "But we can't have anything dangerous at this party, and those skewers are very dangerous. I should have remembered to have the kitchen checked. Hinata, follow me. We're making sure everything in that kitchen is accounted for."

The two of headed for the kitchen and began to systematically remove anything sharp and pointed. Hinata used a nearby checklist to make sure everything was accounted for. "20 forks, 20 knifes, 20 spoons, 5 skewers, 3 frying pans, 20 wine glasses, 1 barbecue gridle, and 1 portable stove." "I found those last two on that shelf over there," Togami said, "They seem to be in good working condition. By the way, I heard you say there are 5 skewers, right?" Hinata nodded. "Then we appear to have a skewer missing," Togami said.

Hinata also noticed the rest of the food Hanamura was planning on serving, including a large meat on a bone. "Unlike the Churrasco before, the rest of this food doesn't seem dangerous," Togami said. Hinata chuckled. "I was almost expecting you to say that bone could be used to bludgeon someone." Togami returned the laugh. "It might seem that way, but it's not large or hard enough to cause any serious damage. Animal bones tend to lose their density during the cooking process." "I gotta say," Hinata said, "I know you said earlier that you won't allow a single victim, but there are many, including myself, who would call this going overboard."

"I can understand that," Togami said, "But I have my reasons. You see, there was a time when I couldn't trust anyone, and found myself suspicious of everyone around me. As a result, I tend to have an overly cautious nature in any situation. Having said that, I feel such a character flaw will come in handy while we're here." "This past of yours," Hinata said, "How much of it are you willing to share?" Togami adjusted his glasses. "Maybe a bit more, but not right now. Perhaps once we finally find a way off this island, without having anyone to die."

Hanamura seemed a little crestfallen at having all his cooking supplies confiscated, but accepted it since he was almost done with the cooking anyway. "Hanamura," Togami said, "There appears to be a skewer missing from the kitchen." "Oh yeah," Hanamura said, "I noticed that too. I believe it was missing since I first got here. Then again, this is the old lodge, so that was bound to happen, wasn't it?" Togami nodded. "I suppose so. There doesn't appear to be anyplace to hide such a long skewer anyway. And since I'll be keeping watch the entire time, it shouldn't matter. Come on, let's head back to the party."

Back in the main hall, Togami got everyone's attention. "Folks, we need a place to keep the dangerous items I have locked in this case for the night." "I'll keep watch over it," Pekoyama said, "I'm no good with crowded places anyway." Togami nodded. "That'll do." "The best place to keep it under watch is at the office," Komaeda said, "This way you can also keep an eye on the circuit breakers for the lodge." Pekoyama nodded, took a plate of food, and headed off with the case. "The key to that case will be kept in the other case I have," Togami said, "Which will not be leaving my sight during the party."

"There's one more thing on my mind," Nanami said, "We need to keep Monokuma from crashing the party." She thought for a second, then said, "I got it. I'll find Monomi and keep watch with her outside the lodge. That should help keep things running smoothly." With that, she walked out of the lodge. "I guess that settles it," Togami said, "Now we can get this party started." "All right!," Owari said, and she immediately began to chow down. Everyone began to enjoy the party, with Koizumi even taking a few pictures to mark the occasion.

The only complaints that seemed to crop up were Nidai requiring a restroom, only to find the one in the lodge occupied, and Tanaka losing his prized Devildog Earring. Other than that things seemed to be going well... Until a strange beeping noise was heard, followed by the power in lodge going out. The next minute or two was filled with sheer panic, as the students stumbled in the dark. Souda tried to make his way to the breakers to fix them, but before he could find them they turned on all on their own. The first thing that met there eyes was a rather comical sight.

Tsumiki had apparently stumbled over in the dark, getting herself tangled up in some sausage, and somehow winding up with her legs spread wide, a plate of food covering her panties. Hinata couldn't help but chuckle. "Seriously Tsumiki, how do you get yourself into these situation?" "This does look fanservicey, doesn't it?," Saionji said with a big grin on her face. Tsumiki turned beet red. "Please don't look! It's too embarrassing!" After she was helped up, Tsumiki started breaking down in tears again. "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean for something like that to happen."

"Hey guys," Souda said, "Now that we're done with this, anyone know how the lights turned back on? I wasn't able to reach the breakers before they got tripped again." Sonia looked around the room. "That's strange. I don't see Togami anywhere." Sure enough, Togami was nowhere to be seen in the main hall. "I was sure he was here when the blackout hit," Koizumi said. "Even he couldn't have gotten far in the dark," Hinata said, "Let's split up and look for him." Trying every room they could, they were still unable to find Togami. Someone other than him was in the toilet, there was no sign of him in any of the other rooms, and according to Nanami he hadn't gone outside.

Suddenly, Owari's nose started twitching. "Hey, anyone else smell blood in this room?" That statement made everyone else freeze. Owari sniffed the air for a while before pointing to one of the tables that had a heavy lamp on it. Seeing nothing on top of the table, Hinata cautiously lifted the tablecloth to look under it... And was greeted by the grizzly sight of Togami's dead body. The sight of it chilled Hinata and the other students to their bones.

* * *

Inside Future Foundation, Naegi was relieved to see his old friend Chie Ooshida pigging out like nothing was wrong. "It's good to you out of that machine Ooshida." "Thanks," Ooshida said between mouthfuls, "But now that I'm out I have a serious appetite to sate. You're not exactly eating real food in there, no matter how good it tastes. I just hope the plan works. We put a lot of thought and effort into it. But it may be difficult to deceive him for long." "One thing I have to ask," Fukawa said, "I've seen you do a regular impersonation of Togami easily. Why become a fat Togami? If the real Togami hadn't been next to me the whole time, it might have ruined my image of him." Ooshida shrugged. "The simulation picked the form I took to throw off the AI Junko, and Kamukura. That's all I can say."

* * *

The students were completely shocked. Togami, who had vowed to not allow a single victim, had become a victim himself. As the students stood there in shock, Monokuma showed up behind them. "Goodness! I see something shocking happened here! I must admit, I wasn't expecting a murder so soon!" Komaeda gasped. "Then, that means..." "That's right," Monokuma said, "Togami was killed... By one of you!" "It... It can't be...," Koizumi said in shock. "Oh but it is," Monokuma replied, "Togami was sacrificed for the sake of someone who wanted desperately to return home."

Pekoyama and Nanami burst into the room seconds later and saw the grizzly sight. "No way," Nanami said, "Why Togami first? How did this happen?" "I see only Kuzuryuu is missing," Monokuma said, "Not to worry, he'll find out shortly." Monokuma disappeared, then seconds later the monitor in the room flickered on. 'A body has been discovered. A school trial will commence after a short period of time. Make the most of it to discover who killed the victim.' Monokuma then reappeared. "All right then. An investigation period will start now, during which time you'll need to gather the evidence you need to discover Togami's killer. Let me start you off with your first piece of evidence."

He handed out copies of a booklet. "This is the Monokuma File. You see, while none of you save the culprit knows who killed Togami, I do. I saw the whole thing you see, through the security cameras, which have infrared options for these situations. But of course I won't tell you who it is until the class trial is done... Whether you get it right or not. This file contains all the essentials regarding the victim's time and cause of death. It should be enough to get you started." And with that, he disappeared. Realizing they had no choice but to investigate the crime, Koizumi offered to look after the body, while Tsumiki began a more thorough examination of Togami's corpse. Hinata and Komaeda began their investigation and found the following clues:

-According to the Monokuma File, Togami had died at approximately 11:30 PM. Cause of death was stabbing with a sharp object, which had repeatedly punctured his abdomen and throat. There were no additional wounds, and no signs of poisons within the body.

-Togami's blood had splattered enough to cover the floor and tablecloth, and there was no evidence of drag marks in the blood, suggesting he died where he was found.

-A pair of night-vision goggles, likely from the supermarket, was found just a few inches from Togami's body.

-A bloody knife, which had somehow escaped Togami's notice, was lying not far from his body. The handle appeared to be covered in glow-in-the-dark paint, and there was also some packing tape on the underside of the table similarly painted.

-As Tsumiki tried to examine the body, the memory of her embarrassing pose from after the blackout came to mind. According to her, her foot had caught on the carpet and she somehow wound up in that pose. Hinata noted that it was not easy to forget such a sight.

-Tanaka, still concerned about his lost earring, managed to find it beneath the floorboards, which were not completely covered by the carpet. However, the gaps in the floor were not wide enough to reach one's hand through, and the ground was too far below the actual floor for any tool to reach.

-The duralumin case Togami had with him during the party had been opened. Inside were several self-defense items, as well as what looked like an empty binocular case. It also had the key to the other case containing all the dangerous items, meaning that case hadn't been opened.

-Hinata spotted an air conditioner set to the same approximate time of Togami's death. That likely meant this was what caused the beeping noise just before the blackout.

-Even though no one could see anything during the blackout, Mioda was able to hear everything just fine, and was able to determine who was saying what when the lights went out. Of particular interest was an odd comment made by Togami.

-A set of fire doors was located just in front of the kitchen for emergencies.

-According to Hanamura, he had initially thought the blackout was limited to the kitchen, but had learned otherwise when he managed to stumble into the hall. Also, even though there was a gas range in the kitchen, it couldn't operate because it was controlled electronically, thus it was also affected by the blackout.

-Despite the abundance of food Hanamura prepared, including the large meat on a bone, only Owari and Pekoyama ever had a chance to taste it.

-Judging from the kitchen equipment list, everything dangerous on it, save for the one missing skewer, had been confiscated by Togami. That left only the frying pans, wine glasses, barbecue gridle, and portable stove.

-Inside the dusty storage room, Hinata found a bloody tablecloth stuffed into a laundry hamper.

-On an ironing board in the storage room sat three irons. Komaeda had found them earlier when they were searching for Togami and, noticing they were all plugged in and powered on, unplugged them to avoid another power surge. They looked to have been set up deliberately.

-Souda mentioned he had gone to the office when looking for Togami. Even though Pekoyama was supposed to be there guarding the breakers and the weapons case, she was nowhere to be found. However, he noted that the breakers were too high up for anyone to reach them without standing on something. As it turned out, Monokuma had turned the lights back on by stretching his torso to reach the breakers.

-While inside the office, Hinata noticed another air conditioner that was also set to the approximate time of Togami's death.

-Thinking the key to mystery might be the crawlspace under the floorboards, Nanami checked to see if there was anyway to access it from the outside. However, a sturdy fence seemed to block all access under the lodge. Additionally, she had spotted Kuzuryuu just outside the lodge. It seemed to her that he wanted to join the group, but couldn't bring himself to admit as much.

-Inside Togami's cottage was a letter addressed to him with no indication of who sent it. The letter was a threat that a murder would happen that very night, which was probably the reason why Togami had the party in the first place. Doing this he hoped to create a situation where everyone could keep an eye on one another. The likely reason he didn't tell anyone is because it would just get everyone paranoid.

-According to Nidai, the unisex bathroom in the lodge had been occupied prior to the blackout, and had not been free until after Togami's body had been discovered.

-When Tsumiki examined the body, she noted the stab wounds were made by an object about 5 millimeters in diameter.

In addition to all this, Koizumi had attempted to use the pictures she had taken to make a map showing the approximate location of each students prior to the blackout, but wasn't sure if it would be of any help. After a thorough examination, the class trial was officially announced, which would take place at the mountain with Monokuma's face on the central island, called Monokuma Rock. Once they all gathered there, Hinata noticed that Tanaka had somehow retrieved his prized earring.

As he was contemplating this, a giant escalator suddenly sprang out from within the mountain. The escalator led to a large elevator big enough and strong enough to hold all of them. It brought them down deep inside the mountain until it finally reached the trial room. Inside, Monokuma sat on a gilded throne, with Monomi tied up and dangling from the ceiling nearby. The students took there places at the podium where their name was, and got ready to begin the trial.

* * *

"I heard the man had become a grade-A genius after the experiment," Tora said, "Far beyond even us normal Super High School Level Students. But because of it, everything became boring to him, and he was no longer able to find any joy in the world." "Wow," Enoshima said, "Somehow I was under that same delusion when Matsuda altered our memories. Do you really think he's still got that same genius now?" "We'll know soon enough," Ooshida said, "Shall we get some popcorn?" Kirigiri just stood there staring at the screen. _'I know you were only just trying to give the world a brighter future, father. But I'm sure you didn't expect your own experiment to turn out like this.'_

* * *

Monokuma: Before we begin, let me explain the rules of the school trial in simple terms. Your task is to reason out the identity of the culprit, and vote on who to accuse! Should you correctly identify the culprit, they alone shall be punished! But if you vote for the wrong person... Then everyone _except_ the culprit shall be punished, and the culprit shall be given permission to leave the island!

Monomi: Those rules are too cruel!

Komaeda: Before we begin, there is one thing I want to confirm. Is the culprit really one of us?

Monokuma: Of course... Our murderous culprit is definitely one of you. Sad, isn't it? By the way, this school trial is 100% fair and square, so please relax. After Monomi, favoritism and injustice are the things I hate the most!

Monomi: You really hate me that much?!

Monokuma: Well then, let's begin!

Tsumiki: Y-You say we should being... But, what exactly are we supposed to do?

Owari: How 'bout we quit fussing around and just decide with our fists?!

Souda: Weren't you listening to the rules?!

Kuzuryuu: Togami, the bastard, was killed in the big hall, wasn't he? In that case, the suspicious ones are those who were there with him.

Koizumi: Sure, sure. You're just trying to say that you're not the culprit, aren't you?

Kuzuryuu: Obviously. It's you lot who started this mutual killing business... It's got nothing to do with me...

Koizumi: Huh? What's that supposed to mean?

Komaeda: A-Anyway... How about we discuss the most interesting fact first?

Hanamura: Eh? What do you mean, "most interesting fact"?

Komaeda: The location of the body... It's strange that we found it under that table.

Nanami: In that case... Let's begin with that mystery.

Komaeda: How did Togami's body... End up under that table?

Tanaka: It was the table set deepest inside the hall... And he was under it.

Souda: Maybe after the culprit killed Togami... They moved the body over there?

Hinata: Don't you think it's weird to suggest the body was moved?

Souda: Huh? Why?

Komaeda: Um, I want you to try and remember the state of things under the table when we found the body... There was a large amount of blood there, but no blood trails that would suggest the body had been moved.

Koizumi: So that's why it's improbable that the culprit moved the body... I see! That makes sense!

Souda: Gaaah! And I was so sure I was finally onto something!

Saionji: Too bad you're an idiot as well as unattractive and bland! Is there any reason for you to go on living?

Souda: I-I'm the type of guy who thrives on praise!

Mioda: But, if the culprit didn't carry it there, why was the body under the table?

Hinata: Probably because... He was killed under the table.

Nidai: Wha-! Are you saying the murder took place under a table?!

Komaeda: Togami crawled under the table for some reason, and that's where the culprit got to him... And that's the reason his body was left there. It makes sense, doesn't it?

Nidai: Th-That does make sense, but... What was Togami doing under a table in the first place?

Owari: He must've wanted to jump out and surprise us all. He sure was a joker, that Togami!

Souda: No he wasn't! Didn't you even pay attention to his personality?!

Hanamura: Hmmm... Maybe he panicked when the lights went out, and went under the table to hide...

Nidai: This is not an earthquake! There's no reason to hit the floor when the power goes out!

Komaeda: Could the reason... Probably be connected to Togami's actions during the party?

Hinata: It must have something to do with the knife that we found under the table.

Mioda: By "knife"... Do you mean that thing that makes you want to scream "that's the murder weapon!"?

Hinata: Togami probably noticed that there was a knife hidden there... So he crawled under the table to retrieve it.

Tanaka: Togami was indeed sensitive to dangerous items, so I cannot deny that possibility, but... How was it that he became aware of the fact that a knife was hidden under the table?

Koizumi: If he's known about the knife from the start, he'd have done something before the power outage.

Nanami: In that case, what if he didn't know about it ahead of time, but first noticed it right there and then...? For example, if he saw someone going under the table in order to retrieve the hidden knife...

Pekoyama: No, that is impossible.

Nidai: Oh? You sound extremely confident.

Pekoyama: Of course. The facts support my claim.

Monokuma: Upupu! This is getting really exciting isn't it!

Pekoyama: Togami crawled under the table... While the power was still out.

Sonia: That much is beyond doubt!

Saionji: So that means... That while the light were out... Mr. Porkfeet saw the culprit going for the knife?

Mioda: It was pitch black during that blackout!

Owari: It was so dark I couldn't even see the food in front of me!

Pekoyama: Not even Togami could see anything...

Hinata: No, _only_ Togami could see what was going on.

Pekoyama: Why was he the only one who could see anything?

Hinata: The set of night-vision goggles under the table. Using that, he would be able to see during the blackout.

Pekoyama: So, are you saying it was Togami who used the goggles?

Hinata: Yeah, it appears so.

Koizumi: No, that's clearly wrong, isn't it?! It's obviously just the opposite!

Hinata: Th-The opposite...?

Koizumi: I mean, it's obvious it was the culprit, not Togami, who use those goggles! It was the culprit who brought those goggles to the scene!

Hinata: No, the person who brought those goggles to the lodge was, undoubtedly, the victim - Togami.

Koizumi: Undoubtedly...? Why?

Hinata: Inside that duralumin case Togami was carrying during the party... There was a storage case for a set of night-vision goggles.

Mioda: In other words, we can infer the goggles were inside the duralumin case when they were brought into the lodge... Haha! Ibuki said "infer"! A clever word that doesn't fit her at all!

Hinata: That means that someone removed those goggles from inside the case during the power outage... No one apart from Togami, who never left its side, could have done that.

Koizumi: I see... When you put it this way, I guess you're right...

Hanamura: In that case, that knife could have also come from inside the duralumin case, right? If he had night-vision goggles in there, it wouldn't be weird if there was a knife in there too!

Nanami: Something _is_ weird...

Hanamura: Yes, I guess I am weird... At a time like this all I can think about is this evening's hors d'oeuvre...

Saionji: Ewwww, gross! That was definitely something perverted!

Hinata: There was a piece of packing tape stuck to the underside of the table we found the body under.

Hanamura: Eh? Packing tape?

Hinata: I'm sure it was used to stick the knife to the table's underside, hiding it from view.

Tsumiki: S-So that's why there was a stray piece of tape left there...

Nidai: Togami was extremely vigilant and careful tonight, but even he did not think to check under the tables...

Pekoyama: If I may change the subject for a little while, why _was_ Togami on such high alert tonight? He brought in not only defense gear, but even those night-vision goggles in that duralumin case of his...

Nidai: That is certainly excessive even if it's "just in case"...!

Koizumi: Now that you mention it... So was his confiscation of dangerous items. Going as far as conducting a thorough body check... That's way over the top if he was simply being cautious!

Komaeda: I'm sure... He must have known... He knew someone was going to commit murder tonight...

Tanaka: He had premonitions of the murder?! No, it can't be... Does he also possess the Evil Eye...

Komaeda: You think so too, don't you, Hinata?

Hinata: Everyone, take a look at this.

Kuzuryuu: Oi... What's this?

Komaeda: Hinata and I found it in Togami's cottage.

Hinata: In all likelihood... This is a threat letter someone sent to Togami.

Owari: Who's this "someone"?

Saionji: No one but Monokuma would write such a stupid threat letter...

Monokuma: It wasn't me!

Monomi: Is that the truth?

Monokuma: The only lies I tell are white lies!

Monomi: Even _that's_ a lie, isn't it!

Pekoyama: Leaving aside who wrote it... Was it this threat that made Togami so cautious?

Komaeda: This letter is also probably what made Togami suddenly decide to throw the party.

Hanamura: What do you mean?

Komaeda: By gathering everyone in a single place, he tried to create a situation where everyone was watching each other. That way, whoever sent that threat would be held back, unable to make their move.

Hanamura: But, that letter was probably just a prank...

Komaeda: Nevertheless, Togami promised there wouldn't be even a single victim. He couldn't just let it go... His strong sense of responsibility... Forced him to take the threat seriously.

Nidai: Ku... He should have discussed this threat with us when he received it...!

Komaeda: If he did that, it would just throw us into chaos... I'm sure Togami understood that very well.

Sonia: So he then decided to tell no one and act alone?

Pekoyama: His sense of responsibility as a leader became his downfall...

Owari: Feh, it's time to stop fooling around! Who the hell wrote that letter?!

Koizumi: It was... The culprit, of course...

Tanaka: Heh. Have you at least the courage to step forward now, cowardly one?

Saionji: Someone who would just give up here wouldn't have murdered someone in the first place...

Sonia: Um... Excuse me. May I ask a quick question?

Souda: What's the matter, Sonia?

Sonia: I apologize for returning to the previous subject, but there is something about the night-vision goggles that still worries me. If it was Togami who used the goggles, how was the culprit able to conquer the darkness?

Hanamura: I see. If they didn't have the goggles they couldn't have seen anything. But then, they couldn't have retrieved the knife from under the table or be caught by Togami, right?

Nidai: Even if they set up some kind of landmark... They wouldn't be able to see it in that darkness.

Hinata: What if their landmark was covered in glow-in-the-dark paint? That way they'd have been able to see the knife in the dark. You see, both the knife that we found under the table... And the tape that was stuck to its underside were covered with that kind of paint.

Tsumiki: Does that mean... That the culprit painted them in advance?

Koizumi: But... Wouldn't they need to have know in advance that the power would go out?

Nanami: They must have known. That's probably why they used glow-in-the-dark paint as a landmark.

Saionji: That means whoever caused that power outage is the culprit!

Souda: Well, that's it then! The culprit's the person who was in the room with the circuit breakers... In other words, it's you, Peko Pekoyama!

Mioda: Hyaa! Peko killed Byakuya? We're losing both of the characters who wear glasses?!

Pekoyama: I am not the culprit.

Owari: She says she's not the culprit!

Souda: Don't believe people so easily!

Tsumiki: But... I don't think Pekoyama is tall enough to reach the fusebox in that office...

Souda: Who cares about the small details! I'm telling you, Pekoyama flipped the breakers and caused that blackout! Pekoyama was in the office, so... She could've caused a power outage at any time she wanted!

Pekoyama: No... That was impossible...

Saionji: Eh? Why's it impossible?

Pekoyama: Because I wasn't in the office. From before the outage, until after it as over...

Hinata: I'm in agreement. I think Pekoyama's telling the truth.

Souda: Ah, you've fallen for Pekoyama, haven't you?!

Hinata: Th-That's not it... Nidai's testimony is her alibi!

Nidai: That's true. Someone had been making exclusive use of the toilet since just after the party started... It was finally vacant again... After we found Togami's body.

Koizumi: Ah! So the person in the toilet was probably...!

Hinata: Because everyone except Pekoyama was in the big hall after the party started, right?

Saionji: I see! If someone had been in that toilet the entire time, it could only have been big sis Pekoyama!

Pekoyama: Th-That is true...

Souda: Y-You were in there the whole time? Why didn't you just say so at the start?!

Koizumi: There's no way she could have! Don't you know anything about delicacy?

Nidai: If she was in there for such a long time... There's no doubt about it. It was shit. Gahahaha! Of course she didn't say anything! You can't just come out and say you're taking a shit!

Koizumi: Hey! Did no one ever teach you about delicacy? Are you living in a country full of males?

Nidai: Mu... I apologize!

Pekoyama: I-It's fine... More importantly... Can we please stop talking about this?

Nidai: Nevertheless, I can attest that it didn't stink too much! I can testify to that, since I was in there right after you!

Pekoyama: P-Please, just let it go!

Saionji: But, you sure were in there for a really long time. Did you have stomach trouble or something?

Pekoyama: Immediately after I went into the office, I was overwhelmed by an intense pain in my stomach... That is why I couldn't leave the toilet... Even during the power outage.

Hanamura: Hey, how did it feel when it suddenly became dark as you were doing your business? Was it unexpectedly exciting?

Hinata: Cut it out already.

Kuzuryuu: But... Was that stomachache really a coincidence?

Koizumi: What do you want, Mr. "Nothing to do with me"? You wanted out, so why don't you keep out?

Kuzuryuu: Heh. You idiots are all so unreliable, so I thought I'd put in a word of my own.

Tanaka: Cease this foolishness... What did you mean by "coincidence"?

Kuzuryuu: What I'm saying is... It's possible that someone spiked her food with laxatives.

Tsumiki: L-Laxatives..?

Kuzuryuu: By doing that, someone could force her to lave the office, and then use that opening to flip the breakers.

Owari: I see! So that was the trick they used!

Kuzuryuu: So did you eat anything weird?

Pekoyama: No, I don't believe I did...

Sonia: Speaking of which, Pekoyama, when you left for the office... You took with you some food, did you not?

Pekoyama: Yes, I took my portion with me.

Kuzuryuu: There must have been laxatives in it, right?

Hinata: No, it's impossible that the party food contained any laxatives. I mean, it wasn't just Pekoyama who ate that food. Owari did, too.

Koizumi: If someone put laxatives in that food, Akane should also have had stomach trouble...

Owari: I'm as healthy as an ox!

Hanamura: I-I told you, the food had nothing to do with it! Don't go making weird accusations like that!

Pekoyama: I apologize for leading you astray...

Koizumi: It's Kuzuryuu who should apologize! He's the one who came up with the idea!

Kuzuryuu: What was that, asshole?!

Sonia: Stop this fighting, at once!

Tsumiki: So then, if Pekoyama's stomachache was just a coincidence, shall we go back to discussing the blackout...?

Saionji: Yeah, yeah... We don't need you to spell everything out, you dirty bitch.

Tsumiki: D-Dirty bitch?!

Saionji: Who flipped the breakers and how did they do it? If you can't answer that, I'll pinch you in the forehead!

Mioda: Maybe they threw a stone at the fusebox?

Souda: They must've used a remote control, right?

Tsumiki: The fusebox must've been tampered with somehow.

Sonia: It might not at all have been the fusebox... It is possible that the power lines or the transmission were tampered with!

Koizumi: Weren't we just using too much power?

Hinata: It's just like Koizumi said... Extreme power usage caused that blackout. It wasn't a coincidence, of course. Someone... Triggered it on purpose.

Komaeda: They used those three irons in the storage room for that, didn't they?

Hinata: When you found them right after the power outage, they were all plugged in and turned on, right?

Koizumi: So, someone deliberately set up those irons to draw enough power and trip the breakers.

Hinata: Yeah. Using that method, the culprit caused the outage and-

Nidai: Hold it right there! I have something to say!

Hinata: Wh-What is it...?

Nidai: Are you saying the irons in the storage room triggered that power outage...? I cannot allow such foolishness to pass unchallenged! If the irons were the trigger for that power outage...

Hinata: The irons _did_ cause the power outage, but they weren't the direct trigger... It was the air conditioners in the big hall and the office turning on which triggered the outage.

Nidai: A-Air conditioners you say?!

Hinata: Both air conditioners were set to turn on at 11:30...

Saionji: 11:30... That's about the same time that Mr. Porkfeet died!

Nidai: I see. The moment those air conditioners turned on, the breakers flipped, causing the blackout... Now I get it! You definitely fooled me-zeyou!

Sonia: -zeyou?!

Komaeda: The culprit must have investigated the power limit beforehand, and set up irons to just barely reach it. Then, all they had to do was set up the air conditioner's timers and wait for them to turn on...

Sonia: So they could cause the power outage even if Pekoyama was still in the office-zeyou!

Souda: Nidai influenced Sonia?!

Nanami: It is also possible... That they might have asked Monokuma about the power limit.

Monokuma: Uh oh!

Monomi: Did she hit the jackpot?! How detestable... You deserve to die a thousand times over!

Monokuma: A thousand times...? If I die that many times, I'd _really_ be dead...

Koizumi: You're too noisy! Shut up, you two!

Pekoyama: I wouldn't have been able to prevent the blackout even if I had stayed in the office. But, nevertheless, I am ashamed... Had I stayed, I could have quickly reset the breaker... Preventing this horrible incident from occurring...

Komaeda: No, the fusebox in the office is too high for any of us to reach it... It would've been impossible for you to reset the breakers... Even if it wasn't pitch black at the time.

Kuzuryuu: Looks like you don't need to worry about it too much.

Saionji: We seem to have a cunning culprit on our hands... I'm starting to worry that we'll never find them.

Komaeda: It's fine. There's no need to worry. I mean, it's just some killer, right? They can't possibly stand against the students branded the symbol of hope! There's no way we're going to lose here. An incident of this level is a mere stepping stone! In the end, hope is going to win! I have full confidence in that!

Hinata: K-Komaeda... What's up with you...?

Komaeda: Eh? What's wrong?

Hinata: I mean, up until now you kept saying the culprit couldn't possibly be one of us...

Komaeda: Is that so? More importantly, let's go back to discussing the incident. For now, we now know how the power outage was set up. The problem is, who was behind it all. Anyone could have secretly set up the air conditioner timers... Same applies to the irons. Anyone could have come in before Togami and put them in the storage room... Now we're in a pickle. Looks like it could've been any one of us, doesn't it?

Kuzuryuu: What are you trying to say?

Saionji: He's saying that when all is said and done we still haven't figured anything out!

Sonia: Eh? Even after so much debate?

Komaeda: Unfortunately, it's the truth... We've discussed the incident all this time, and yet we haven't found a single clue leading to the culprit... But that's just natural, isn't it? I mean, there's no way the culprit is one of us.

Hinata: Hey... Didn't you just contradict yourself again?

Komaeda: Firstly, I'd like to suggest what we should do now... Hey everyone. Haven't you ever felt like this? Haven't you ever felt it better to die trusting your friends than to survive suspecting them...

Mioda: A-Are you saying we should just give up and die?!

Hinata: Komaeda! What the hell is wrong with you?!

Komaeda: Haha, what's wrong with me it that there's something wrong with all of you! You keep blaming and accusing each other... I think that's utter madness! Let's just stop this! What's so bad about not finding the culprit! I hate it! We're all friends! I don't want to do this!

Hanamura: I-I don't like it either...

Tsumiki: I-I hate this too! P-Please, let us go back home!

Saionji: Waaaaaaaaaah! I wanna go home and eat lots of candy!

Koizumi: S-Stop it... I-If everyone starts acting like this, even I'll...!

Hinata: G-Guys, calm down!

Komaeda: We're comrades, aren't we? There's no way that murder would happen between comrades...

Hinata: Then why the hell is Togami dead?!

Komaeda: Who cares about that? Let's just give up, already... After all, there isn't a single clue leading to the culprit...

Nanami: You've got that wrong! I think...

Komaeda: Did you say something?

Nanami: Well, we've already found a clue that can lead us to the culprit, haven't we?

Tanaka: We found a clue...?

Owari: Do you know who the culprit is?

Nanami: I can't say for sure... But there is a clue that points to one suspicious person... I think.

Komaeda: Oh? In that case, let's hear it. What is this clue you speak of?

Nanami: First, we should think about how the culprit could get to the knife during the blackout.

Komaeda: We already figured that out... They used glow-in-the-dark, didn't they?

Nanami: That's not it... I'm talking about before they used that.

Hinata: Let's check the state of things at the time... The map Koizumi drew can probably help us.

Koizumi: The one that shows where everyone was standing just before the blackout, right? Um... Here it is.

Hinata: There's a chance the culprit used the table lamp in order to move to the table in the darkness.

Komaeda: That tabletop lamp... You aren't saying they used its light, are you?

Tanaka: With the lodge devoid of power? None could have used that lamp.

Hinata: The culprit didn't use the lamp's light. They used its power cord.

Tsumiki: Th-The power cord?

Hinata: If they moved by following the cord, they could reach the table the lamp was placed on, right? Then, after they reached the table, they'd use the glow-in-the-dark paint to get the knife.

Nanami: On top of that... Among all of us, there's only one person who could have done that.

Hanamura: A-And who is that person?

Hinata: Komaeda, it was you, wasn't it?

Komaeda: M-Me...?

Hinata: Looking at everyone's positions just before the blackout... You were the only one who stood near that cord.

Nidai: In other words... You're saying that no one but Komaeda could have used that cord as a guide!

Komaeda: Th-That's just a coincidence!

Nanami: But... You also had a chance to set up the knife under the table, didn't you Komaeda...?

Hinata: Komaeda... You'd been cleaning the big hall the entire day since this morning, right? You had plenty of opportunities to place that knife there!

Komaeda: Th-That's...!

Hinata: You were the one nearest to the cord. You were the one chosen for cleaning duty. It's strange how it's only you who's connected to this!

Komaeda: I-I'm telling you, it's a coincidence!

Nanami: If there was only one, that would be believable... But two coincidences happening in a row... Hmmm, I wonder... Is it really possible for such a coincidence to occur?

Koizumi: It's even possible... That you set yourself up for cleaning duty so you could place the knife there, right...?

Nidai: Now that you mention it... It was Komaeda who prepared the chopsticks when we drew lots to decide on a cleaner...

Koizumi: So it wasn't a regular lottery... You set it up, didn't you? You lost on purpose to get cleaning duty, didn't you?

Nanami: I don't know if he's the culprit or not... But there's an awful lot of evidence that makes him very suspicious...

Komaeda: U...uu...!

Nidai: And that strange act just now... Was that also part of your plan?

Kuzuryuu: You tried to dampen our spirits and cover up your crime, didn't you?!

Koizumi: Is that right? Give us a proper answer already!

Komaeda: Nn...n...!

Hinata: Komaeda, if you have a counterargument, let us hear it... To tell you the truth, I don't want to believe you're the culprit... You investigated with me... You were so kind to me... And to think that you're the one who killed Togami...

Komaeda: N...nnggg...!

Hinata: Komaeda, what's going on?!

Komaeda: Nn...nnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggg...! Haha...! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAH! The Super High School Levels stand together and rise against the despair of the death of their friend! Ahhh, such a magnificent, beautiful sight!

Hinata: Eh...?

Komaeda: If I may start from the conclusion, you are absolutely correct! That's right, everything was my doing! It was me who set up the knife under the table before the party started. It was also me who used the power cord to find the table in the dark. And it was also me who set up that power outage in the first place, of course. I mean, I couldn't just go and grab that knife while everyone was watching, now could I?

Mioda: S-Somehow, his personality's completely broken down.

Komaeda: However, I never imagined Togami would go as far as bringing in night-vision goggles... Thanks to that, we encountered each other under the table, and we all know how that ended. But, I guess you could say that thanks to that unexpected event, you had this this interesting mystery to solve! Haha! That sure was a splendid performance from Togami!

Souda: G-Get a grip, already... S-Seriously, what the hell happened to you?

Koizumi: Is... This what you're really like? Have you been deceiving us all this time?

Komaeda: Deceiving? Nonsense! There's no way I could deceive you guys! I know better than anyone that I, regrettably, am a lowly, good-for-nothing human being. Harboring my own hopes and dreams would be presumptuous. Striving to exert myself would be impertinent... That's the kind of decidedly inferior, foolish human being I am. The lowliest, worst kind of incompetent human being.

Mioda: Oh no! This guy's definitely the sort of person who killed animals in his neighborhood when he was a kid!

Sonia: The sort of person who watches "Friday the 13th" with a gleam in his eyes... Just like me.

Souda: Bit of an unexpected hobby you have there... But I guess now's not the time...

Nidai: So, Komaeda... If everything is indeed your doing, does that include the threatening letter...?

Komaeda: Mhm, of course. Who else but me could have this ugly, careless handwriting?

Saionji: But, why did you send a warning?

Komaeda: Perhaps... Somewhere, deep in my heart, I was looking for someone to put a stop to my dark deeds... But if that had been my reason, that would get me a little sympathy from everyone, wouldn't it?

Owari: Are you making fun of us?!

Nanami: Komaeda probably sent the threat to Togami in order to manipulate his actions. And so, he managed to lead not only Togami but everyone else to the scene of the murder... Am I wrong?

Pekoyama: Now that you mention it, it was the same when I went to guard the case. It was Komaeda who suggested I use the office.

Saionji: I see. If big sis Pekoyama went to the storage room, he wouldn't have been able to use the iron setup anymore.

Pekoyama: The threat letter and that suggestion... They were both manipulations leading us to his trap.

Komaeda: Yes, it's all correct... Except for one thing.

Tsumiki: H-Huh? Wh-What have we got wrong...?

Komaeda: The lots we drew to decide on cleaning duty. You said I set that up ahead of time... But I didn't.

Koizumi: Then how did you manage to pull the chopstick that gave you cleaning duty?!

Komaeda: I see... Of course you don't remember... The useless talent of someone as lowly as me...

Hinata: Super High School Level Luckster... So, you really...!

Komaeda: Yes, I simply believed in my own luck. I knew I would probably get cleaning duty.

Hanamura: Y-You just left it up to fate?!

Komaeda: Oh, I didn't just leave it up to fate... My talent may be garbage, but it's still Super High School Level Luckster. At the time, Hinata joked about how unlucky I was... But it's just the opposite... I was very lucky! I was chosen for cleaning duty just as I desired!

Hinata: Th-That's enough... I don't care about that anymore... Answer me! Why did you kill Togami?!

Komaeda: Togami was an outstanding, talented leader, wasn't he... Someone like him getting killed is despair-inducing, isn't it... That's why he was perfect as a stepping stone to make you, the symbols of hope, shine even more. That's why I did it!

Nidai: S-Stop saying incomprehensible things!

Kuzuryuu: Enough... Let's start the vote already! Let's kill this weirdo!

Mioda: Please, Monokuma!

Tsumiki: P-Please just wait a second!

Kuzuryuu: Ah? What now?

Tsumiki: U-Um... Uh... H-How should I put it... Um... I-I was wondering if... Komaeda really is the culprit...

Hanamura: Uhh... What are you saying? He even confessed, didn't he?

Tsumiki: I-I know that, but... Um... There's something that concerns me a little...

Saionji: If it's only a little, keep your mouth shut. Having to look at your ugly face makes me all stressful and nauseous...

Tsumiki: A-Ah! U-Um! I-I'm sorry!

Sonia: Um... Should we not at the very least hear what she has to say?

Hanamura: B-But, we already know who the culprit is...

Tanaka: If we are merely listening, then I do not mind. But mark my words, timorous one! Your testimony will receive all due diligence. _We_ are sanguine on the matter.

Tsumiki: Um... What concerns me is that...

Hanamura: We already know the culprit is Komaeda!

Tsumiki: Um... B-But, you see...

Pekoyama: He has even confessed.

Tsumiki: B-But... Um...

Kuzuryuu: That bastard Komaeda... Stabbed Togami with the knife he had hidden!

Hinata: That knife probably wasn't the murder weapon... Was that what worried you, Tsumiki?

Kuzuryuu: What are you talking about? That knife has to be the murder weapon.

Tsumiki: But... Judging from the wounds on Togami's body, the murder weapon should be about 5 millimeters in diameter...

Mioda: 5 millimeters in diameter? That's much thinner than a knife!

Kuzuryuu: You had better be damn sure about this! If you're wrong, I'll have you kidnapped and sold overseas!

Tsumiki: Hiiiiiii! I-I don't want to go overseas!

Koizumi: Hey! Don't threaten her!

Komaeda: All in all, what Tsumiki is trying to say is... Since we can't prove that the knife is the murder weapon, we also can't say for certain that I am the culprit.

Koizumi: Wh-what are you saying?! Are you saying that the culprit is someone other than you?!

Komaeda: _I'm_ not saying anything. It was Tsumiki who said it.

Tsumiki: I-I'm sorry!

Nanami: Hey, Komaeda. Are you, perhaps, still hiding something?

Hinata: H-Hiding something...?

Nanami: Like something happening between Togami and Komaeda during the blackout that we still don't know about...

Komaeda: Who knows?

Tanaka: Hrmph. What is left for him to hide?

Saionji: Aww, that's so annoying! He's gone all quiet now that things aren't going his way!

Mioda: What did happen during that blackout? Hmmmmm... Hmmmmm... Ah! When Ibuki crosses her eyes everyone here doubles!

Souda: Don't just give up! There's lives on the line!

Owari: Eh? Whose lives are on the line?

Souda: When the _hell_ are you going are you going to understand the rules here?!

Komaeda: No one could see anything during the blackout... Try as you might, the truth shall remain hidden in darkness. Heh. Coming from the likes of me, that's not a bad metaphor is it?

Hinata: No. You're wrong.

Komaeda: Wrong? How am I wrong?

Hinata: It's true that no one could see anything during the blackout. But that doesn't mean no one could hear anything. Isn't that right, Mioda?

Mioda: Is it?!

Hinata: Come on, you were the one who told us. You know, about who said what while the lights were out...

Komaeda: As expected from a Super High School Level Musician! Being able to distinguish the voices like that is amazing!

Saionji: From her face, brains, style and personality, the only good thing here are her ears!

Mioda: Tahaaaa! Ibuki's been stabbed with the knife of a fine argument!

Pekoyama: But, listening to Togami and Komaeda's words during the blackout... It almost sounds as if... Komaeda was met with a counterattack by Togami...

Komaeda: Well, that's because I was. I guess I should show my respect for Mioda's talent... And make a small confession. The truth is, I was pushed away by Togami. Right there under the table.

Hanamura: You were pushed away... By Togami?

Komaeda: When the light went out, I quickly crawled under the table to retrieve the hidden knife, but... Togami, wearing his night-vision goggles, saw me and pushed me away from the table. That's right... I couldn't even get to my own knife... I am the worst kind of incompetent fool... After I was pushed from under the table, I joined the rest of you in your simple state of confusion. I'd lost my glow-in-the-dark landmark, and I couldn't tell where the electric cord was anymore. Then, after a while, the lights came back on and we found Togami's body under the table...

Koizumi: W-Wait just a second! So... Are you trying to say you're not the culprit?

Komaeda: Ever since we decided to hold the party... Hiding the knife and setting up the power outage, were all part of my plan. But unfortunately, it ended in failure. All because of Togami and his night-vision goggles... What happened after that... I do not know myself.

Kuzuryuu: E-Ended in failure...? So... You're saying you couldn't kill Togami?

Saionji: Th-This time we really _are_ back to square one!

Nidai: Back to square one?! Even after all that discussion?!

Komaeda: "Meaningless"... No other word is more despair-inducing that that. But you mustn't give up! You must face forward with hope in your hearts, and do your best! You are the symbols of hope because you can recover and rise up, again and again!

* * *

"Why is Komaeda acting like a psycho all of a sudden?," Kuwata said, "I can't remember him being this crazy back in school." "He's not crazy at all," Tora said, "This is part of our plan. Kamukura thinks despair is better than hope because it's easier to accept. This is just one of the little things we're doing to try and turnabout that way of thinking. We're basically turning the tables and giving him some _real_ rehabilitation." Kuwata rubbed the back of his head. "If you say so. But it's still creepy as hell." "Way I see it," Oowada said, "Either he figures out each murder and gives us more time to be rehabilitated while our friends get released one at a time, or he fails and we get back all our friends at once and have him put through the system normally. Either way, we win."

* * *

Komaeda: Well, then. What are we to do now? If we agree the knife wasn't the murder weapon, it seems the evidence pointing to me as the culprit is invalid.

Koizumi: Y-You should keep your mouth shut! This is up for the rest of us to decide!

Hanamura: H-He said he was pushed away from under the table... But we don't know that for sure, do we?

Tanaka: That's correct. The fact that some other weapon was used should not itself lift our suspicions...

Tsumiki: B-But... There is another reason showing that there's no way Komaeda can be the culprit...

Hanamura: Th-There's more?!

Tsumiki: We all agree that the culprit killed Togami under the table... Don't we?

Sonia: Is there something wrong about that?

Hanamura: Um... I thought Komaeda was too clean to be the culprit.

Komaeda: That's the first time someone's complimented me for my appearance! Even my mother never praised me for anything!

Tsumiki: Uyu... Ah! No! That's not what I meant by clean!

Hinata: What you're saying is that Komaeda didn't have any blood on him, right?

Tsumiki: Y-Yes! That's it! I mean... There was a lot of blood splattered under the table, wasn't there? There were even splatters of blood all over the tablecloth...

Pekoyama: If he really had killed Togami under that table, it is strange that he did not get any blood on him...

Komaeda: Oh? As you can see, there isn't any blood on me at all.

Owari: What if... He just used something to avoid the blood!

Komaeda: But what is that "something"? Was there something that could be used to avoid the blood splatter...? Oh, actually there was... Isn't that right, Hinata?

Hinata: The bloody tablecloth in the storage room... Isn't that what you're talking about?

Kuzuryuu: If there was blood on it, then it's decided! Komaeda must have used it to avoid the blood!

Tanaka: But, it was found in the storage room, was it not? Are we to believe he hid it there, after the murder?

Nidai: Do you mean after the lights came back on? What did he plan to do if someone saw him?

Hinata: That's right... That tablecloth was pretty large, so carrying it through the lodge in order to hide it...

Komaeda: It was troublesome enough grabbing the knife in the darkness. But stabbing someone while wrapped in a tablecloth as well? I don't think the most talented people in this room could do that... Let alone someone at my level.

Hanamura: S-So... What does this mean...?

Nanami: Perhaps... The place the culprit stabbed Togami... Was not under the table.

Tanaka: Impossible. That the victim died under the table is beyond question.

Tsumiki: With the blood splattered all over the tablecloth... It's clear that that's where Togami was killed...

Nanami: But, the place where Togami was stabbed, and where the culprit stabbed him from doesn't have to be the same place.

Mioda: Yes, that makes no sense at all!

Komaeda: Oh? Hinata, your face suggests you just figured something out.

Hanamura: R-Really?! You understood that... Riddle thing she just said?!

Hinata: I feel as if I'm about to remember something... But it's still vague...

Nanami: It's a place that is _and_ isn't under the table. That's the only thing that makes sense! You start with that notion, drop your preconceptions, and pick the right answer! I think...

Hinata: Of course! The culprit stabbed Togami from under the floor, didn't he?!

Koizumi: F-From under the floor?!

Hinata: The old lodge's floor is full of gaps, and the carpet didn't reach all the way to that table. If someone shoved a weapon through one of those gaps... They could've stabbed and killed Togami.

Komaeda: In that case, the culprit would have to get into that crawlspace. How? Where is the entrance?

Hinata: I don't know either... But there is someone here who does. Hey, Tanaka... You dropped you earring back at the big hall, didn't you.

Tanaka: You mean, the Devildog Earring?

Hinata: That earring...

Tanaka: You mean, the Devildog Earring?

Hinata: The _Devildog_ earring... Ended up under the floor, right?

Tanaka: Hmhmhm. Long and arduous was the search. By its end, I was ready to raze that accursed lodge to the ground... But just as the ancient prophecies foretold it would, the Devildog Earring found its way back to its rightful owner!

Hinata: That earring... It's the one on your ear right now, isn't it?

Hanamura: Eh? So, you...?!

Hinata: Tanaka didn't have the earring during the investigation... But just before the trial he had it back on. This means that during the investigation, he managed to retrieve his earring from under the floor.

Pekoyama: And so, he must know a way to get under the floor?

Tanaka: Hahaha... It is no wonder that your bead-like eyes could not perceive the truth... But you were wrong! The power of the Four Dark Gods of Destruction renders every obstacle insignificant! Behold, the power of their Fourth Eye of Evil! Yes... Before this Evil Eye, visual chaos becomes order!

Saionji: What am I going to do?! Just listening to him speak is embarrassing!

Nidai: GRAAAAAH! EXPLAIN IT LOUDLY AND CLEARLY LIKE A MAN!

Tanaka: So be it, then! I shall tell you! The answer to all, lies in the storage room! "Mirage Silver Falcon" Cham-P of the Four Dark Gods of Destruction perceived it within the chaos. He discovered the "Passage of Doom" concealed among the piles of boxes... I then acquired a lighter from the supermarket, and stepped into the space, unafraid to face the danger ahead... And there I claimed the spoils of my solitary battle... The Devildog Earring, mine again at last! Fuhahaha! You know now the extent of my powers... Will you tremble in fear? Or kneel in reverence?

Saionji: You sure you're not exaggerating about your "powers"? Aren't you just a breeder?

Pekoyama: Anyway, it would seem he entered the crawlspace from the storage room.

Nanami: In that case, that's also where the culprit entered it from. It didn't look as though the lodge's walls extend down there, so it wouldn't be very far from the storage room to the hall.

Nidai: Hmm... If they went by the storage room, that would explain why the tablecloth was there.

Mioda: The culprit snuck under the floor from the storage room, found Byakuya, and then... "FWAP"!

Hanamura: Hmmm... Is that really what happened?

Mioda: If it wasn't a "FWAP"... It was probably a "SPLAT" or a "THUMP"? Something more befitting a large mass?

Hanamura: No, I wasn't talking about the sounds effects... If someone snuck into the crawlspace, that means they'd have had to slip out of the party, doesn't it? But... No one did... Did they?

Saionji: Then the culprit is someone who wasn't at the party at all. All they had to do was wait under the floor the entire time.

Owari: Who wasn't at the party?

Nanami: I wasn't but I was standing guard at the lodge's entrance. Monomi over there can confirm that... Right?

Monomi: Yes, Monomi over here can confirm that!

Pekoyama: I don't think it needs repeating, but... I was in the bathroom, and couldn't leave...

Hanamura: I was in the kitchen most of the time, but I carried food to the hall now and then.

Koizumi: Um... So the person who wasn't at the party is... As far as I can tell from the pictures I'd taken... He's the only one left, right?

Saionji: Yay! This proves it!

Kuzuryuu: Th-This proves nothing! I'm not the culprit!

Koizumi: Is that so? Remind me who was it that said he won't "hesitate to kill" any of us?

Kuzuryuu: Don't screw around with me! I'll fucking kill you!

Koizumi: See? There he goes again!

Monokuma: Oh, that sure hits the spot. Finally, some excitement I can approve of!

Saionji: During the party, the culprit... Lay waiting under the floor, like a cockroach.

Hanamura: Then, not only did he have a perfect view of the girls' panties... He didn't have to go to the storage room in the dark!

Mioda: How about it, Fuyuhiko?!

Kuzuryuu: Don't just decided to pin me as the culprit!

Koizumi: But, after the party started... No one knew your whereabouts. That means you have no alibi!

Hinata: No, Kuzuryuu did have an alibi. Isn't that right, Nanami?

Nanami: Um... Yes, that's right. I saw Kuzuryuu after the party had started, so he couldn't have been hiding under the floor since before the party.

Kuzuryuu: Why didn't you say this earlier, you moron!

Koizumi: _You're_ the one at fault here. And why were you loitering around the lodge anyway?

Kuzuryuu: Sh-Shut up...

Hanamura: Maybe there's a secret passage from outside the lodge to the crawlspace, and he was scouting for it...

Kuzuryuu: Shut the fuck up, asshole!

Hanamura: Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Saionji: Waaah! He's happy being shouted at?!

Tanaka: No, the crawlspace cannot be entered from outside. With the aid of Nanami, I confirmed as much.

Sonia: So, someone did sneak into the crawlspace from the storage room during the party, then?

Tsumiki: It probably wasn't just during the party... But during the power outage...

Nanami: Ah, if someone disappeared during the blackout, it's not so strange that we didn't notice.

Hanamura: But, walking from the hall to the storage room in the dark is like trying to make Eggs Benedict without eggs!

Souda: He's right... I couldn't even find the office, which is right next to the hall...

Hinata: But, was it really impossible? I think we should explore this possibility just a little longer...

Mioda: In that darkness? It was definitely impossible to move to the storage room!

Komaeda: Somehow... It seems we're reaching a conclusion... The culprit versus the innocents... We'll soon discover whose Super High School Level is superior.

Hanamura: The corridor was completely dark during the outage, right? Moving all the way to the storage room in those conditions... That's like a bowl of kaisendon without any fish!

Nanami: I wonder, is it absolutely impossible?

Nidai: Maybe they used a cord, like Komaeda did?

Saionji: Maybe they had their own pair of night-vision goggles?

Owari: This is annoying, so I'll just go with my intuition... They used light. That would do it, wouldn't it?

Hinata: That's it! The culprit used light!

Owari: Oh! I was right?!

Mioda: But, where did they get light from?

Hinata: They had a light source. Here, it's written right here in the equipment list for the kitchen. It's the portable stove.

Mioda: P-Portable stove?!

Hinata: You can turn on a portable stove even when there's no electricity, and you can even carry it around... The culprit used that portable stove, and moved through the corridor all the way to the storage room!

Komaeda: I see... That portable stove is a plausible explanation, but there's still a hole in your reasoning.

Hanamura: What hole might that be? Please tell us all about it. Ah! I didn't mean that in a dirty way! I'm telling you! I really didn't!

Koizumi: Denying it so loudly just makes you more suspicious!

Komaeda: So, Hinata! How about a little one-on-one with me? I wonder. Will you be able to crush my counterargument? If someone used light in those pitch black corridors... They would've been seen by Souda, wouldn't they?

Hinata: Komaeda... Have you forgotten? Or are you just pretending that you have?

Komaeda: Eh? What are you talking about?

Hinata: There was a "wall" that can block light in that corridor. I'm talking about the fire doors. If someone closed them, they could make a perfect wall blocking off the corridor. And that's not all. Just past the fire doors, the corridor quickly makes a sharp turn... So even if you only have a short opening, as soon as you're past that corner, you're out of sight.

Komaeda: I see, so you noticed the fire doors. As expected from a Super High School Level- Oops... You still don't remember your own talent yet, do you?

Hinata: Th-That doesn't matter right now...!

Pekoyama: Komaeda. What is the meaning of this? For someone who says he isn't the culprit, you are putting up a lot of resistance.

Komaeda: Don't speak in such a scary voice. When you're mad, remember, deep breaths, deep breaths!

Kuzuryuu: Are you ever gonna shut the fuck up? Do you need some help with that?!

Monokuma: Hey! I don't mind fighting, but not violent fighting that pulls in unrelated parties! And would you just decide on a culprit, already? You know, if this gets boring, I can set a time limit...

Komaeda: Alright, alright... So it's time for me to hand over the baton, is it?

Sonia: H-Hand over the baton?

Komaeda: It's time for the real culprit, not a fake like me, to make their appearance!

Nidai: Ku... I'd say you probably are the culprit.

Komaeda: If that's what you think, I don't mind. I'll intentionally accept any conclusion, as long as it's one all of you Super High School Levels reach together.

Hinata: Hanamura... It was you, wasn't it?

Hanamura: Eh, what?! What are you talking about?!

Koizumi: H-Hanamura is the culprit...? Really?!

Hanamura: W-W-What're you saying?! There's no way that it's me!

Hinata: This is just my theory right now, of course, so if you have any counterarguments, by all means let's hear them.

Hanamura: C-C-Counterarguments...? Wh-Why are you even treating me like a culprit...?

Hinata: Because... The portable stove that was used as a light was in the kitchen.

Hanamura: Th-Th-_That's_ why you think I'm the culprit?! That's just arbitrary! It's cruel, it's cruel! You're far too cruel!

Komaeda: Ah... Hanamura... This isn't like you at all. You're a Super High School Level Cook, possessing such a wonderful talent. You can't just break down like that...

Hanamura: Ch-Chef... I'm a Chef...

Komaeda: If you succumb to these dubious aspersions, who's going to hold the culinary world together?

Hanamura: Th-The culinary world...?

Komaeda: Yes! For the sake of the future of cuisine, pull yourself together, and face the accusations!

Hanamura: I... I see. Yes, you're right!

Owari: By the way, what's an "aspersion"? Does it taste good?

Saionji: Asbestos is also excellent, you know. How about you try some later?

Hinata: Komaeda... Why are you poking your nose into this?!

Komaeda: Let's assume the culprit did use light. And let's assume they used the fire doors to mask their actions... That would get them to the storage room and then allow them to crawl under the floor. But what then? The crawlspace is completely dark too. How did they manage to stab Togami? Don't tell me they had the stove on as they stabbed. If they did, the target would spot them, and the game would be up!

Hanamura: Th-That's right... What do you have to say to that?!

Hinata: Th-that's...

Komaeda: You can't answer, can you? After all, you never investigated the crawlspace yourself, did you?

Koizumi: We can ask Tanaka! He's actually been in there!

Tanaka: No... Regrettably, nothing remained of the murderer's paraphernalia in that dark dimension... All was void, save for a ghostly phosphorescence around the blood pooled on the floor...

Koizumi: Wh-What?! Did you say... There was light there?!

Mioda: That sounds super-important!

Sonia: If there was a "glowing landmark", it was possible to move to that location even during the blackout.

Nanami: And after they moved to the designated location, they could target what that landmark was attached to, couldn't they?

Hinata: The landmark was the glow-in-the-dark paint the knife was coated with, wasn't it?

Nidai: Ah! Even in the dark, all they'd have to do was aim for the glow-in-the-dark paint!

Saionji: I get it. The culprit didn't aim for a person. They aimed for the paint when it moved!

Sonia: That would be the moment someone took hold of the knife, wouldn't it!

Komaeda: So... The same landmark I prepared so I could find the knife was used by the culprit for his attack... I see... And that's why Togami, who took the knife, was killed...

Nanami: But, if the culprit used that landmark, it would mean they knew about Komaeda's plan, wouldn't it?

Nidai: What do you have to say to that, Hanamura?!

Hanamura: I... I know nothing... I-I'm telling you I really know nothing...

Komaeda: In that case, how about I pose a question for everyone?

Koizumi: Wh-Why are you butting in again?! Give us a break, already!

Hanamura: N-Now, now! It's only fair to give everyone a chance to speak!

Komaeda: Let's say Hanamura is the culprit. That would mean he went to the storage room during the blackout. In that case, what was that conversation Mioda heard in the dark?

Pekoyama: She heard Hanamura's voice... In the hall?

Komaeda: I think that proves Hanamura was in the big hall during the blackout...

Hanamura: Th-That's right! That's exactly right!

Koizumi: But when the lights went out, you were in the kitchen weren't you? So then, how did you get to the hall?

Hanamura: I... I thought the power outage was only in the kitchen, so I left it in a panic... The corridors were dark as well, of course... So I followed everyone's voices and used the walls as a guide to move.

Nidai: Hmm... It's certainly possible to move from the kitchen to the hall by following the walls, but...

Owari: Something stinks here!

Hanamura: You can tell that someone is lying by licking their sweat, can't you, Owari? In that case, come here and lick me!

Owari: Now way! You're greasy!

Mioda: But, Ibuki definitely heard Teruteru's voice in the hall! Ibuki's entire character setup hangs on that!

Komaeda: That's right, Hanamura wasn't in the storage room, but the hall. In other words, there's no way he's the culprit.

Hinata: No, that's not what it means.

Hanamura: Wh-Why...? Why do you keep making all these accusations against me?!

Hinata: It's not like I have anything against you... I just...

Komaeda: Hinata, you should be more confident in yourself. You're following the hope you believe in, after all... That's it, Hinata... Show me more of your hope. Your hope against Hanamura's. Whose will prevail? First, let me ask once more... Was Hanamura in the storage room during the blackout?

Hanamura: O-Of course I wasn't in the storage room! I was in a different place at that time!

Mioda: Ibuki heard Teruteru's voice! A beautiful voice, unfit for his face!

Koizumi: Maybe it was a recorded voice?

Mioda: No, it was definitely a live voice!

Hanamura: As long as that testimony exists... You cannot deny I was at the hall!

Hinata: The fact we heard Hanamura's voice in the hall doesn't prove that he was actually in the hall.

Hanamura: Eh? Wh-Why...?

Hinata: Think back to the floor of the hall... There are massive gaps all over it, right? Which means, even if you spoke from under the floor, it would still sound like you were in the room with us.

Hanamura: Abebabeba?!

Pekoyama: I see... By speaking from under the floor, he tried to leave the impression he was there with us.

Koizumi: Is that true, Hanamura?

Hanamura: W-Wait just a minute...

Tsumiki: Wh-What's the meaning of this, Hanamura?!

Hanamura: I TOLD YOU TO WAIT A MINUTE!

Tsumiki: Hyaaaaaaaaa?!

Hanamura: YOU IDIOTS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! I WAS IN THE HALL THE WHOLE TIME DURING THE BLACKOUT!

Nanami: If Hanamura was in the hall during the blackout, he should've still been there when the lights came back on, right?

Komaeda: Yep, that sounds right. He couldn't have been walking back and forth in the dark.

Koizumi: Eh? Was... Hanamura there at that time?

Hanamura: I... I was... I was definitely there...

Komaeda: We can't leave this to faint memories and gut feelings, can we? I mean, someone's life is on the line.

Hanamura: He's right! You're stupid memories are worth nothing! You ain't deciding nothing like that!

Sonia: But... I am not at all confident about this. I have a feeling he was there, but I also feel like he wasn't...

Nidai: Nuuuuuu...! Isn't there a way to tell for sure?!

Nanami: Maybe we should test his memory?

Hanamura: Hey, you there. Quit saying pointless things! Think you can prove I wasn't there?!

Hinata: I think we can...

Hanamura: Gege... You can?!

Hinata: If you really were in the hall when the power came back on... You should know all about what happened to Tsumiki, shouldn't you?!

Hanamura: Wh-Wha-?!

Tsumiki: Hiyuu! Please don't remind me! I-It's too embarrassing!

Hinata: No, this is an important question... How about it, Hanamura! You should be able to answer this if you really were in the hall!

Hanamura: Eh? Eh? Um...?

Hinata: Because that unique way of falling is not something one can forget so easily.

Tsumiki: Fuah... I'm sorry... I'm sorry for making you see that deplorable sight!

Mioda: H-How about it?! Can you answer, Teruteru?!

Hanamura: Um... Ummm... Huh? Oh? That's peculiar... It seems I've forgotten all about it...!

Koizumi: Isn't it weird that you forgot...? Seeing as how perverted you are...!

Hanamura: U-Umm... But, nevertheless... Komaeda! Say something!

Komaeda: No... I think you have no choice but to give up...

Hanamura: Wha- Give up...? What do you mean by... "Give up"...?

Komaeda: Hanamura... You're not the only one who's disappointed. I am too. It's sad to see someone I respect reach the limits of their hope. I had such expectations... And you're dashing them.

Hinata: Komaeda, what the hell's wrong with you?! Why do you side with the culprit and then turn on them?!

Hanamura:W-W-WAIT A SECOND! QUIT CALLING ME THE CULPRIT!

Komaeda: Eh? But hasn't it already been decided?

Hanamura: D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D... YOU STILL HAVEN'T DISCOVERED WHAT THE MURDER WEAPON WAS! IF YOU THINK I'M THE CULPRIT, THEN TELL ME WHAT THE WEAPON WAS!

Nidai: The weapon... Couldn't have been the knife, right?

Tsumiki: Judging from Togami's wounds... It was a thin sharp object about 5 millimeters in diameter...

Tanaka: And to have inflicted such mortal wounds through the floor, it cannot have been shorter than 50 centimeters...

Komaeda: Is the weapon really important at this stage?

Hanamura: IT IS! IT REALLY IS!

Nanami: Okay, I get it. Let's think what the weapon could be.

Hanamura: I DARE YOU! I DARE YOU!

Hinata: That's it. The murder weapon was a steel skewer!

Koizumi: Eh?! A steel skewer?!

Hinata: Before the party, Togami had a conversation with Hanamura when he was looking for dangerous items...

Nidai: Is that missing skewer the weapon?!

Tsumiki: That skewer fits the parameters perfectly!

Owari: Oi, Hanamura! Where did you hide that skewer?!

Hanamura: A... Aa... Aaaaaaaa... Avril Lavigne!

Mioda: Eh?! Just like that?!

Kuzuryuu: He's just trying to confuse us by saying nonsense! You dumped that skewer somewhere on the island, right?!

Monomi: No, it is against the field trip rules to litter. If someone broke that rule, sirens would have gone off all around the island...

Souda: Sirens...? It's only littering! Bit harsh, don't ya think?!

Nanami: Also, Hanamura didn't leave the lodge even once. I was guarding the entrance, so I can tell.

Pekoyama: In other words... The skewer must be hidden somewhere inside the lodge...

Saionji: It's probably somewhere back in the kitchen!

Nidai: Hanamura... Why don't you act like a man and confess?

Hanamura: O-O-O-O-OOOOOOO... O-O-O-Oo-Ooooooooo... UNCULTURED BUMPKINS SHOULD KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT!

Nanami: It seems we have to do something to stop him after all...

Hanamura: I AM NOT HIDING ANYTHING! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THE WEAPON IS!

Hinata: You hid the skewer... Inside that meat-on-a-bone, didn't you?!

Hanamura: Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh...! Wh-What are you talking about...? There's no way I'd hide a weapon somewhere like...

Owari: H-How is that even possible?! It's inside food!

Hinata: Yeah... Togami and I also thought it was impossible... And that's why we overlooked it. Thinking the other way, inside the food was the only place we didn't check. It's the only possibility left for the hiding place... And of all the dishes on offer, the only one big enough to hold a long metal skewer... Is that huge meat-on-a-bone!

Nidai: I-IS THAT TRUUUUUUUUE?!

Hanamura: I-I exercise my right to remain silent!

Saionji: You don't have one!

Mioda: I-In that case, we must check ourselves!

Owari: Let's eat that delicious-looking meat. If we find the skewer there... Bingo!

Souda: Alright! Monomi, Monokuma, anyone! Go grab us that meat and bring it here!

Owari: One minute... I'll destroy that whole thing in just one minute!

Hanamura: W-W-Wait just one moment please! Time out! Time out, I say, Time out!

Nidai: WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! BRING THAT MEAT OVER HERE NOW!

Monomi: Ah... About that...

Koizumi: Huh...? Where did Monokuma go?

Monokuma: I'm right here...! Om nom nom... I decided to get ahead of the game!

Mioda: GYAAAA! THE BEAR IS EATING MEAT! Well, actually, that's not really so strange, huh?

Monokuma: Grom nom nom... What the-?! This is soooo delicious.

Owari: Dammit! That's my meat you're eating!

Monokuma: I've never eaten like this before... The taste brings back memories of my life in the wild...

Hanamura: S-S-S-S-S-Stop! Really, stop right now!

Monokuma: Oh? There's something inside this meat... Look what I found!

Mioda: Th-That's...!

Sonia: It's a steel skewer, isn't it...?

Nanami: Ah, he made the bone into a grip. That's pretty elaborate.

Tanaka: It is a Sword of Doom, with a bone hilt and a meat sheath! He used it to bring catastrophe upon Togami!

Komaeda: I expected nothing less from Hanamura! This is definitely a fantastic weapon, appropriate for a chef!

Hanamura: Y-You're wrong... I'm not the culprit... I'm not a person... Who would ever kill someone... I get it! It's all _your_ doing! You're just trying to frame me!

Komaeda: Sigh... This is disheartening... Struggling like this is unbecoming for a Super High School Level student like you. You can't call that "hope" at all, can you?

Nanami: Hey, Komaeda... I'm sorry, but can you please stop talking?

Hanamura: YOU'RE ALL A BUNCH OF SAVAGES WHO ONLY EAT AT CHAIN RESTAURANTS!

Nanami: We have to bring this to an end... Don't we? Let's lay out our entire case... We'll cover the whole incident, start to finish, with no room left for doubt...

Hinata: I have no choice!

Act 1: Let's begin right after the party started. We'd all gathered at the big hall in the old lodge after Togami called us there. Togami was warned that there would be a murder tonight, and so he set about trying to prevent it from happening. He decided to throw a party, so he could get all of us in one place and watch over us. The party then began, even though not everyone was present. But, at that time, a certain person's plan was already in motion.

Act 2: They plugged in three irons in the storage room, and brought the power supply in the old lodge close to its limit. In addition, they set up something to turn on at 11:30 PM. That was the air conditioners in the big hall and the office. They set their timers so they would turn on automatically. When that happened, the air conditioners and the irons drew so much power that they tripped the circuit breakers. With the power off and the windows perfectly sealed, the lodge was thrown into total darkness.

Act 3: But Togami was prepared for this. He reached into the duralumin case he had with him... And took out a pair of night-vision goggles. It was just one item from the range of defense goods Togami brought to the party in preparation. Having put on the goggles, Togami witnessed a certain person behaving suspiciously... Komaeda followed the power cord of a tabletop lamp, and crawled under a table. That's right. Up until now, everything had gone exactly according to Komaeda's plan. Both the warning letter and the blackout were planned by him.

Act 4: Meanwhile, in the kitchen, which had also gone dark, another person... The true culprit... Had started working. The culprit most likely knew about Komaeda's plan, and that the power was going to drop... That's why they had already prepared everything they needed to commit their murder in the darkness. First, a light... That was the portable stove that was in the kitchen. Then, a weapon... That was also something they had hidden in the kitchen. A steel skewer used for Churrasco dishes. The culprit hid one inside a large meat on a bone. The culprit picked up the stove and the weapon, and exited to the lodge's corridor... And closed the fire doors so the light source he was holding wouldn't leak into the rest of the lodge. Then, the culprit headed to the storage room, where they acquired one more thing... Yes, the tablecloth they used to evade blood splatters. Having finished their preparations, the culprit used a trap door to sneak into the crawlspace under the big hall. They must have turned off the portable stove at that point, or left it by the trap door... The hall's floor was full of gaps, so they couldn't move around still holding a light source. The culprit then used the glow-in-the-dark paint as a landmark, and managed to reach the spot under the table. At that point, Togami found the knife that was hidden under the table... Had Togami walked away at this point, he surely would've been spared, but... Togami decided to retrieve the knife. And at that exact moment...! The culprit hiding in the crawlspace thrust the steel skewer up through the floor! They were aiming for the time the glow-in-the-dark paint moved in the darkness.

Act 5: Then, having killed Togami, the culprit... Raised their voice deliberately, creating an alibi for themselves. They then quickly left the crawlspace and hurried back to the kitchen. Then, after hiding the tools they used, they joined with the rest of us, feigning innocence. There's only one person who could have done all that... Someone who could think of hiding a weapon inside food...

Hinata: Isn't that right... Teruteru Hanamura?! That's the whole truth... Well? Have I got something wrong?

Hanamura: S-Something's wrong... There's n-no way I'd ever kill... No... Way... U... Uuuuu... Uuuuuuuuuu... Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah...!

Pekoyama: It seems this is over.

Hanamura: Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

* * *

Ooshida nearly dropped the popcorn she held. "Wow... He figured it out. Guess some of that genius is still shining through. One thing I can't shake though... How come he looks so much like Tora?" Enoshima shrugged. "My guess is his mole manipulated the system to show him as someone the others would be familiar with, and thus would let their guard down around. But he's a pale comparison to my Tora!" Ooshida giggled. "You really get passionate about your relationship with him, don't you? Not that I blame you. I've always felt the same about Hanamura. Speaking of, I guess he'll be joining us shortly." Enoshima smiled and turned back to the microphone.

* * *

"It seems you guys have reached your conclusion," Monokuma said, "Now it's time to vote on the villain. Use the switches in front of you to vote. Remember, each person is required to vote. No exceptions!" The students each pressed the switch for who they thought was the killer. The giant slot reels on the large TV monitor overhead began to spin, landing on Hanamura. Instantly the reels lit up, and confetti dropped down from overhead. "Congratulations!," Monokuma said, "You guys got it right! Byakuya Togami was indeed killed by Teruteru Hanamura!"

Hinata breathed a sigh of relief. For a second he wasn't sure if they were truly right or not. Hanamura looked to be in complete and utter shock. "Of all people...," Kuzuryuu said, "Someone like _you_ killed Togami?! Why on Earth would you do something like that?!" "I... I wasn't trying to kill him...," Hanamura said, "I was just trying to save everyone... Including Togami. I didn't know he was the one who moved the knife until the trial... I thought it was Komaeda I had stabbed! I was trying to stop him from murdering someone!"

"That's right," Koizumi said, "Komaeda was planning murder himself. But how did you find out about his plans in the first place?" "I was in the lodge since morning," Hanamura said, "Making preparations for the party... When I stumbled across Komaeda hiding the knife. He was laughing like some sort of maniac. I kept watching him, wondering what he was up to, as he set up the irons and the air conditioners. I got worried and confronted him about it... And he flat out told me he intended to murder someone. He swore to me he would start the mutual killing somehow, even if I somehow stopped his plans tonight."

"Did you really want off this island that badly, Komaeda?," Nidai asked. "Not really," Komaeda said, "This had nothing to do with escaping. In fact, I didn't even expect to survive. After all, look how easily you guys picked apart my plan. If it really had been me who killed someone, I would have been found guilty almost an hour ago. The truth is... I simply wanted to kickstart the mutual killing. I wanted to give everyone the hope they needed to escape, which was why I set that plan in motion. I was even expecting Hanamura to try and stop me. However, I didn't expect Togami to be so fully prepared... Or that he would take a bullet for me."

"So you told Hanamura on purpose as part of your plan," Nanami said, "To make the mystery as complicated as possible. You even told him about the trap door in the storage room." "That's right," Komaeda said, "I found it by chance when I was setting up the irons. Of course, I was only mentioning it casually. I simply warned Hanamura not to fall into it." "Dude," Souda said, "You're totally mental. No wonder Hanamura tried to stop you. If Togami hadn't pushed you out of the way, you'd be the victim right now." Nanami tapped her chin. "I wonder... If Togami didn't know all along that Hanamura was under the floor. After all, he was wearing those night-vision goggles. He might not have known it was Hanamura under there, what with the tablecloth and all, but he likely knew that _someone_ was poised to kill Komaeda."

"Yeah," Komaeda said, "That's what I meant when I said he was taking a bullet for me. When he ran to stop me from going for my knife, he likely spotted Hanamura under the floorboards and pushed me out of the way. I actually did managed to grab the knife... For a whole second. That's when Togami pushed me out from under the table. Don't forget he had sworn not to allow a single victim. That of course would include me, even as I was plotting murder myself. He truly was amazing... I'm honestly sad that he had to be the first to die." "Are you saying Togami dying wasn't part of your plan?," Pekoyama asked.

Komaeda shook his head. "I simply laid out a serious of measures in advance and let them run to their natural conclusion. I was hoping my luck would lead me to an outcome filled with hope... Only it looks like it all led to despair instead. But that's what makes hope so miraculous, that one can find it even in the midst of despair and overcome any hardship. Still, to say that I'm not relieved to have lived through it all would be a lie. I simply didn't want Togami to be the one to die in my place, that's all. But... I guess when you get right down to it, it was probably inevitable."

"Well then," Monokuma said, "If we all done filling in the remaining holes in this mystery, I believe it's time for the end. As I said, if you successfully find the culprit in each incident, they shall be punished. And that's exactly what you did just now. Therefore, Hanamura shall be executed so that the remainder of you may live!" "Hold on!," Hanamura said, "I was only trying to stop Komaeda because of his murder plans! I never even intended to kill Togami! Doesn't that count as involuntary manslaughter?!" "Oh?," Monokuma said, "If you were so intent on stopping Komaeda, why not simply tell the others? Togami in particular would have believed you, being as serious as he was about preventing casualties. Are you sure this simply wasn't about taking advantage of Komaeda's plans to secure your own release?"

Hanamura became stunned and wide-eyed. "I... I just wanted to go home... Mama... I need to see Mama again..." Monokuma chuckled silently. "Ah yes. You made her a promise to return after graduating from Hope's Peak, so that you could save your family restaurant. I am genuinely touched by that fact. You see, Hanamura's mother is battling an illness. It's not fatal, per se, but he's been constantly worrying that she'll overwork herself and collapse, unable to continue. A shame really... But it looks like you won't be able to keep your promise."

"Wait!," Monomi said, "You can't just kill him like this!" Monokuma responded by hitting Monomi with a corkscrew punch, sending her sailing into the ceiling. "Sorry for my sister's impudence," Monokuma said, "Now let's begin. I have a special execution set up for Teruteru Hanamura, fitting of the Super High School Level Cook!" A red button rose up in front of Monokuma's throne, and he hit it with a gavel. In an instant, a heavy chain and collar shot out from a hidden door behind Hanamura and latched onto his neck, dragging him to the execution chamber.

**Hanamura Tonkatsu**

Hanamura found himself chained to a post on the shore facing the ocean. A helicopter appeared out of nowhere, piloted by Monokuma. Monokuma shot missiles at Hanamura that contained different ingredients. First, a group of small rockets containing eggs fired at him, and then a larger one filled with breadcrumbs. Both left him covered in ingredients and in a dizzy state. Hanamura's post was then attached to the helicopter upside down by a chain, causing Hanamura to be pulled above the water. He was then flown over an active volcano on the island. The helicopter let his post go and Hanamura barely had time to react before he was dropped in the lava. His body sizzled and fried until a Hanamura tonkatsu, a deep fried pork cutlet, could be seen floating at the top of the lava.

The other students stared in horror at the brutal execution Hanamura had been dealt. "Extreme!," Monokuma yelled out suddenly, breaking the silence, "Now that was an adrenaline rush. Oh... I nearly forgot. You're memories. I won't be able to restore them right away. It takes time after all. But I haven't forgotten my promise, and I intend to keep it. Just be patient, and try to survive until I can finish." "What?!," Hinata said angrily, "Why can't you just tell us?!" "Because you might not believe me," Monokuma said, "If I simply told you, it wouldn't matter. It's clear none of you trust me. So I have to do it by slowly restoring your memories from within, and that takes time."

At that point, Monokuma vanished. Monomi, looking crestfallen, looked to the others. "Please excuse me, there's something I must attend to." And with that, she vanished as well. "Damn," Komaeda said, "Hanamura played right into Monokuma's hands. That bear deliberately waited until after he had killed Hanamura before conveniently remembering his promise to us. Hanamura never even got the chace to find out about his mother." Hinata closed his eyes. "Komaeda... As grateful as I am to hear you say you're genuinely sorry things turned out the way they did... I still feel betrayed that you would go to the lengths you did just to offer some misconceived notion of hope. The hope you offer is hollow at best. It saddens me... Because at first I thought you were a good friend."

Komaeda frowned. "I see... I'm sorry you feel that way Hinata. I would have liked to have thought we had something in common. After all, both of us revere Hope's Peak Academy, right?" Hinata turned his back. "Maybe, but that is where our similarities end." "That's enough," Sonia said, "We shouldn't fight among ourselves like this. Please, let's just return above ground, get some sleep, and reconvene in the morning. With Togami dead, we need to pull together so that he won't have died in vain." The others agreed, somehow finding strength in Sonia's words.

* * *

Hanamura stepped out of the capsule he was locked in and was greeted by a hug from Ooshida. "Great to have you back," she said, "You okay?" Hanamura laughed. "Considering I was deep fried in lava, I feel surprisingly good." He and Ooshida walked back out to where the others were still monitoring the simulation. "Listen, I was serious about wanting to know what happened to Mama. Is she...?" Phoenix closed his eyes. "I'm sorry Hanamura, but when we got to the restaurant, she had already died from shock, probably as a direct result of the carnage caused by The World's Most Despair-Inducing Incident."

Hanamura turned to Tora, who solemnly nodded, indicating his father was telling the truth. Hanamura sniffed, almost on the verge of tears. "I need to stay strong. It's okay to cry, but I still need to stay strong. Somehow, someway, I'll keep my promise to Mama." Naegi nodded. "That's the spirit Hanamura. But first we need to free our friends. They're still stuck in that machine." Hanamura nodded. "But in the meantime, I think I'll get a head start. I need to polish off my skills if I'm gonna restore the Hanamura Restaurant." And with that, he headed for the kitchen. "I have a feeling we'll be eating like kings and queens for the next few days," Enoshima said, "Trust me, Hanamura has the title Super High School Level Cook for a reason." "Chef," came Hanamura's voice from the kitchen. That got the others laughing.

To be continued...

**Only in a story like mine can something like that happen and still have everyone survive in the end.**


	3. Chapter 2: Crime and Coconuts

**Disclaimer: I don't own Dangan Ronpa or Ace Attorney.**

Chapter 2: Crime and Coconuts... Or Not

Celes eagerly savored the gyoza Hanamura had made for her as she and Tora took their turn watching the simulator. "I was afraid I'd never enjoy this exquisite taste again," Celes said, "It's the only part of my old self I never want to let go of." She looked over to Tora, who was staring intently at Kamukura. She then noticed something. "Is it just me, or does he bear some similarities to you?" Tora closed his eyes. "He's someone I knew from my childhood. Someone I once looked up to. Someone... Who doesn't even remember who he truly is. Celes, I've told you and the others, right? About my older brother?" Celes nodded, wondering where Tora was planning to go with this.

* * *

As Hinata walked up into the restaurant, he found the atmosphere to be as expected... Heavy in the wake of the class trial. Togami had been stabbed to death. And his killer, Hanamura, had been deep fried alive in an active volcano. Pretty much the only person in the room still chipper was Saionji, who had no sympathy for Hanamura whatsoever. "Aren't you even the least bit upset about all this?," Hinata asked her. "Well, I am upset that Togami's gone," Saionji said, "He was fun. He didn't even complain when I called him Mr. Porkfeet. But Hanamura murdered someone, so he deserved to die, right?"

"Not like that!," Souda said, "Seriously, that was just way too over the top! Besides, he wouldn't have murdered anyone if Monokuma hadn't shown up!" Suddenly, Owari felt her nose perk up again. "Something smells funny. Not blood this time, just... I don't know. Like someone didn't take a shower for a few days straight or something." She sniffed around, then realized something. "Saionji... It's you! When's the last time you bathed? You smell like you've been rolling in garbage since we got here." Saionji looked shocked, then started to tear up. "I... I'm sorry... But I can't tie my obi properly, so I haven't taken off my kimono in a while..."

Koizumi looked at her sympathetically. "If that's all it is, how about I help you, okay?" Saionji looked at her and nodded happily, then wrapped her in a big hug. The scene seemed to lighten the mood instantly. "That reminds me," Tsumiki said, "Where are Kuzuryuu and Komaeda?" "Kuzuryuu is just outside the hotel," Pekoyama said, "He still refuses to join us it seems." "Okay," Hinata said, "But what about Komaeda?" Nidai and Souda suddenly seemed very nervous. "He's not the only one missing," came Monokuma's voice. He popped out of nowhere in an instant.

"One of my servants seems to have vanished as well." "You're referring to those Monobeasts, right?," Hinata said, "One of them went missing? Why?" Monokuma made something like a shrug. "I know it wasn't any of you. You wouldn't have been able to take one out even with all of you working together. My search simply led me here, that's all. Now if you'll excuse me..." And with that, he disappeared. As the students were contemplating why one of the Monobeasts would suddenly vanish, Monomi showed up in their midst.

"Good news students. I was able to destroy one of those terrible Monobeasts all by myself. You can now take the bridge it was guarding to a new island." The students looked stunned that Monomi had managed to destroy one of the Monobeasts when earlier one had turned her into swiss cheese. But the thought of a new island opening had them scrambling to check it out and see if it had any means back home. The new island looked a lot different from the first, with a few interesting features.

The first place Hinata checked out was what almost looked an ancient ruin... Except the shape was surprisingly modern. Hinata couldn't place it, but the shape of it felt almost familiar. However, Nanami had wanted to check out the ruins by herself, without anyone else with her. Sonia and Pekoyama found a rather large library. What looked like Usami statues lay broken on the floor, the pedestals they had once been on replaced with Monokuma statues. Sonia was reading a brochure when something caused her to gasp. "This can't be right. It says the island's administrative office is on the center island. But we haven't seen anything there expect the park and Monokuma Rock."

The pamphlet went on to say that the office had a statue inside much like the one that had become the Monobeasts, and that people traveled between islands by ferry. Although bridges had been requested, it was refused out of concern for the environment. "That's peculiar," Pekoyama said, "I could have sworn we crossed a bridge on the way here. And where the office is supposed to be, there was nothing but Jabberwock Park." Sonia thought for a second. "Perhaps this is simply an artificial island made to resemble Jabberwock Island. That would explain the discrepancies. But for such a large island... Maybe Togami was onto something when he suggested this was the work of a powerful organization."

She looked through more of the books until she found one that made her eyes light up. "Oh my goodness... It's the latest _Occult Monthly_ magazine. This month they have a special on serial killers. It even has all the legendaries, like Kira and Genocider Shou!" "I've heard of both of them," Pekoyama said, "Kira was eventually found to be a prosecutor named Teru Mikami, but to this day Genocider Shou's real identity has yet to be revealed." "Well this article has some speculations," Sonia said, "The writers believe Genocider may in fact be a Japanese schoolgirl, and that all the victims are in fact her ex-boyfriends!"

"That hardly narrows it down," Pekoyama said, "Japan is full of schoolgirls." Sonia continued to read the article with surprising fascination. "Here's one of my favorites. The mysterious Kirakira-chan. Unlike the original Kira, who killed from afar using a notebook of the Grim Reaper, Kirakira-chan kills his victims up close and personal. All of his victims have been criminals, and he wears masks of hero characters whenever he goes after a victim. Because of that, no one knows Kirakira-chan's age or gender." Pekoyama looked understandably disturbed. "No wonder you seem to have a crush on Tanaka..."

Another building on the island was a large pharmacy, which Tsumiki was grateful for. There was also a diner, where Hinata was surprised to find Kuzuryuu eating. Out on the island's beach, Mioda spotted Nidai and Owari sparring with one another. After a bit, Nidai managed to win. "Jeez Nekomaru, you've got to be the strongest person in the world!," Mioda said excitedly. "Far from it," Nidai replied, "There was this one time I found this fighting dojo hoping to expand my sports repertoire. The daughter of the clan offered to show me their fighting style first-hand. I barely blinked... And suddenly found myself on my ass."

Meanwhile Souda was checking out the beach house. It was positively luxurious, with only two major flaws. One, the showers didn't seem to be working. Two, apparently it was expressly forbidden to change inside it. After a bit, Nanami called the others back to the ruins. "I thought something was familiar about this ruin," Nanami said, "And I think I've figured it out. The ruin looks just like Hope's Peak Academy." Hinata looked at the ruin as a whole, and realized Nanami was right. "There's also something else," Nanami said, "About the door. Try cleaning the dust off and you'll see what I mean."

After cleaning off all the dust and vegetation, the students became flabbergasted. Instead of stone, the door was made of steel, and seemed to be some sort of contraption out of a science-fiction novel. There seemed to be a number pad on the entrance, requiring a code of some kind. Right next to the panel was what looked like a Gatling Gun. "Well it's obvious we need a password to get inside this thing," Kuzuryuu said, "But that Gatling Gun worries even me." "So far as we know this island is deserted," Nidai said, "Could this building in fact be some sort of shelter?"

Suddenly Monokuma appeared out of nowhere. "I know this place. Or at least I know of it. You see, this door is solid in every sense of the word. Even me and my sister cannot penetrate it. It may have something to do with 'The World Destroyers'." The students looked nervous. "And...," Koizumi asked, "Who are these 'World Destroyers'?" "Pretty much what it says on the tin," Monokuma said, "They destroyed the world... Literally. One could even call them terrorists, only taken up to eleven. Remember what I said earlier about a traitor in your group? Well that traitor works for this organization, and you being here has much to do with them. Since I can't help you get into this building, you'll have to solve its riddles on your own." He then disappeared.

The students were reeling a bit from Monokuma's words. "You know what?," Nanami said, "It's getting late. Maybe we should get sleep and find out what we're going to do tomorrow." The others agreed and headed back to the hotel. Still, Hinata couldn't help but feel worried. _'We only found more questions than answers exploring this new island. These World Destroyers... Why go and kidnap us and subject us to all this? Are they behind Monomi and Monokuma? And just what is behind that door? Come to think about it, we still haven't found Komaeda. And Nidai and Souda have been acting suspiciously anytime someone asks them about it.'_

* * *

"We're back from our trip," Hagakure said, "Sorry we took so long, but with Asahina's recent condition..." The others couldn't help but smirk. Back at Hope's Peak during Matsuda's twisted game, Hagakure had given Naegi a prediction that both of their kids would share the same mother. He had also predicted that there would be no victims during the Mutual Killing game at the school. While only Hagakure had gotten Asahina pregnant, and Naegi showed no interest in doing the same, the other prediction had come true since Matsuda had been killed after the game was called off.

"Hey I can relate," Fukawa said, "But did you get the item we need?" Asahina brought out the Twilight Syndrome game. "For some reason those islands are still buzzing with normal activity. It's like the resort has become a haven for those who still haven't given in, but can't bring themselves to fight. Lucky for us Togami still has that private jet." "What do you need the game for?," Ooshida asked. "Our next motive," Enoshima said, "The gang's last mystery couldn't cut it, so we need a new one. By the way, Komaeda is still in the system right? Because I haven't seen him for a while." "System still has him logged in," Gumshoe said, "They must have him hidden somewhere."

* * *

The next morning the students gathered at the restaurant to discuss what they had learned yesterday. "Is... There really a traitor among us?," Tsumiki said, "That's what Monokuma keeps suggesting." "We have nothing to worry about from the traitor," Nidai said, "He's already been contained." "Hold on," Sonia said, "Are you referring to Komaeda?" Nidai nodded. "Consider how he's been acting since the trial. It's obvious... He's the traitor Monokuma mentioned!" Souda nodded. "Well, I'm not as convinced as Nidai that Komaeda's the traitor. But you've gotta admit the man is dangerous. After all, it's because of his actions that Hanamura had the opportunity to kill anyone."

The others looked at each other, and agreed. "Where is he anyway?," Koizumi asked. "We have him tied up in the old lodge," Souda said, "As far away from anything dangerous as possible." "We felt it best to hold him there," Nidai said, "Since that is where Togami died, we thought it would give Komaeda the chance to reflect on his actions." "Some friends," came Kuzuryuu's voice. The others turned around in shock to see him actually in the restaurant with him. "The moment a guy becomes difficult... Boom! You go and take care of him." "Hey," Souda said, "It's not like we _killed_ the guy. He was babbling on about talent and penguins, then Nidai got tired of his talk and floored him in a single punch. After that we tied him up."

Later that night, Monokuma again called the students to Jabberwock Park. Once they got there, they saw Monokuma somehow installing what looked like a game machine. "You guys got here faster than I thought," the bear said, "I was just putting the finishing touches on this." Nanami seemed interested. "What sort of genre is that game?" "Why, a mystery of course," Monokuma said, "That's the point of this game in general, so I thought I'd do something interesting and include a game-within-a-game. I call it... Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery! I made it myself."

"I know Twilight Syndrome," Nanami said, "It was a popular adventure game from 1996. It revolves around a group of high school girls who investigate urban legends." "Why a game though?," Hinata asked, "I highly doubt you would offer us this game without some ulterior motive." "Funny you should mention the word 'motive'," Monokuma said with a silent chuckle, "Because this game happens to hold your next motive within its ending. Granted, I don't expect _all_ of you would desire to kill upon seeing the ending, but I _do_ think all of you would be curious as to what the ending is. But you'll have to complete the game to find out for yourself." He then disappeared.

"Well this is obvious," Souda said, "If we don't play the game, we won't have our motive, and nobody will be killed, right?" "Is it really that simple?," Pekoyama said, "Suppose one us gets curious and secretly plays the game without the others knowing, then goes and kills someone. If no one else has played the game, they'll be at a disadvantage during the following trial." Hinata closed his eyes. _'Ideally, we could avoid killing even if someone _does_ play the game. However, knowing what the motive is supposed to be would put those of us who hadn't killed on the same level as the murderer, should there be one. Either way, my curiosity's piqued. Maybe I will give this game a try... But with someone else watching me play, just in case.'_ The students then headed of to bed.

* * *

"You altered the game with some of her pictures?," Ikusaba asked Fujisaki. "Not my most challenging work," Fujisaki replied, "Especially with Alter Ego's help. The idea is to make the mystery as complex as possible so that he won't be able to solve it. I just wonder why the others agreed with his assertions during the last trial." Ikusaba sighed. "It's not like they could feign stupidity. That would have tipped him off. Speaking of... Now that I get a good look at him, there's something familiar about his face..."

* * *

As Hinata got out of his cottage the next morning, he spotted Kuzuryuu heading for his carrying what looked like a manille envelope. _'Could he have played that game...?,'_ Hinata wondered to himself. He also spotted Koizumi heading off somewhere. Hinata could swear she was headed in the direction of the park. "Where's she off to in a hurry?," he wondered aloud. "Probably wanted to get as far away from Komaeda as possible," came Souda's voice. Hinata turned to see him in front of the old lodge. "She went to give him breakfast earlier," Souda explained, "And came out in a huff. Seems he was trying to order off a menu, and she simply threw the tray near him saying he was lucky we were feeding him at all."

"Jeez," Hinata said, "When is he going to stop giving us so much trouble?" "You know the creepiest part?," Souda said, "He actually asked when _you_ were coming to feed him. Needless to say, I think it best if you stayed out of there." Hinata shuddered. "That goes without saying." As the day wore on, Hinata found himself getting more and more curious about the Twilight Syndrome game. Finally, after the nighttime announcement, he decided to sneak out and try it. As he approached the park, he saw Koizumi sneaking away from it. Shrugging it off, he stood in front of the arcade cabinet and pressed start.

The game featured five girls named A-ko, B-ko, C-ko, D-ko, and E-ko. Apparently, the story involved a murder of a young girl that had been reported in the papers. However, the girls had already found the body prior to the janitor mentioned in the papers, and had kept quiet about it. D-ko had even taken pictures of the body, just in case the police questioned the girls, which were then taken and ripped up by E-ko. Two days later, E-ko was found murdered. After the picture of the dead E-ko was shown, a Game Over screen popped up along with the words "Dull Start". _'That was it?,'_ Hinata thought, _'It started on Day 2, jumped straight to Day 4... And I got a Game Over way too easily. And what does this mean... Dull Start? Isn't this the end of the game? Some motive. Guess I'll just head off to bed.'_

* * *

Several of the other students had secretly gathered in the hotel lobby. "I can't believe they included those pictures. After I was done with them, I had them erased. The only remaining copies should be in a police evidence locker." "Guess after that terrible incident our friends on the outside dug them up for this next mystery. Are you sure you want to go through with this?" "We have no choice, right? There's no other way out of here, at least as ourselves. But... Do you really think it will allow him to return with you?" "I can't say for certain. I would hope so... But I'm not sure if the rules would allow it."

* * *

The next morning at breakfast, the gang found Koizumi surprisingly absent. "I hope nothing happened to her," Saionji said with surprising sadness. "She's fine," Owari said, "I saw her outside the hotel on the way in." Saionji breathed a sigh of relief. "It would be awful if big sis Koizumi died. She's the only good person left on this island." _'What does that make you?,'_ Hinata thought to himself. Souda then came over to him. "Listen," he whispered, "Meet me in the supermarket at 2:30 this afternoon. Don't tell anyone else, okay?" Hinata nodded cautiously, wondering what Souda wanted to talk about.

At the supermarket, Hinata told Souda, "If this is about that stupid game..." "No way," Souda said, "I'd never play something like that. It's just, I happened to overhear Sonia talking to the other girls about having a girls-only swim down by the beach." Hinata sighed. "I think I can see where you're going with this... But why me?" Souda shrugged. "Well, I thought it would seem more like coincidence if another guy went along with me, and to tell the truth you seem to be the only one the girls wouldn't suspect of doing anything... Underhanded."

Hinata sighed. "Fine, I guess I'll go along. But if you think this is gonna help you score points with Sonia... I think you may be barking up the wrong tree." The two of them headed for the diner, where the girls were supposed to meet up before heading for Chandler Beach. Once there, Hinata noticed they had gotten there before the time Souda had overheard. "Do you really think they'll let us join in on this swim?," Hinata asked. "Well," Souda said, "If we said we just _happened_ to be going for a swim at the same time as them... Maybe. Anyway, they should be stopping by in about an hour."

As the two of them waited inside the diner for the girls to stop by, they were surprised to see Kuzuryuu coming back from the beach. They quickly headed out to find out what was up. "The hell," Kuzuryuu said, "What are you two doing here?" "Grabbing lunch of course," Souda said, "It _is_ a diner after all. More importantly, why were you at the beach just now?" Kuzuryuu seemed to get just a little pricklier at the question. Just then, Mioda and Tsumiki also walked by. "Hey guys!," Mioda said, "What's up?"

"Just grabbing a bite before relaxing on the beach," Souda said, "Me and Hinata thought it might be a good way to pass the time." "What a coincidence!," Mioda said, "We and the other girls were planning on going for a swim!" As they talked, Hinata suddenly realized that Kuzuryuu had vanished. "Now where did he go? I swear the only one more suspicious than him is Komaeda." The others looked around, but Kuzuryuu was nowhere in sight. "A-Anyway," Tsumiki said, "We're actually a little early for the meeting, so how about we join you for lunch?"

Inside the diner, Souda noticed something. "Hey, where are your swimsuits? You do remember we're not allowed to change in the beach house." "We know," Mioda said, "That's why we're wearing ours under our normal clothes." Souda nodded. "Me and Hinata thought of the same thing." Hinata remembered the boxer-style swimsuits Souda had gotten for the two of them, to make it seem more natural for them to be at the beach. Just as he was thinking about it, the four of them spotted Saionji running out of the tunnel leading to the beach. She seemed to be in a panic of some sort.

"Why is she running from the beach?," Souda asked, "Didn't you invite her as well?" Tsumiki nodded. "She said she couldn't swim, so she declined our invitation." "Come to think about it," Mioda said, "Mahiru also declined to join us for some reason. She's been surprisingly anti-social lately." Hinata closed his eyes. "That does seem odd. I would have thought this would be her idea in the first place." "Nope," Mioda said, "It was Sonia who suggested it. Said it would be a great way for us to get our minds off this Mutual Killing business."

"Aww, and here I thought I'd be the first to arrive," came Nanami's voice. Hinata turned to the entrance and his jaw dropped. Nanami was standing there wearing a lacy white bikini. She was carrying a wooden box in one hand. "I thought we were getting lunch at the beach," she said, "So I brought some ice cream with me." Hinata couldn't help but be drawn to how gorgeous Nanami looked in her bathing suit. She must have noticed him staring because she said, "I realize it's a little small, but it's the only one that fit me." Hinata grew flustered. "Oh... I wasn't..." Nanami smiled. "It's fine. After all, you're only human."

Owari was the next one to come in, wearing a blue and white stripped bikini that did a surprisingly good job of covering her breasts. She also seemed to be bleeding from the head for some reason. When the others pointed this out, she simply said, "I ran into Nidai on the way here and challenged him to another fight. I'll be fine, it'll take more than him to kill me." Tsumiki quickly dragged Owari off to get some first-aid treatment. Pekoyama was the next to arrive, wearing a black bikini. For some reason she seemed to be soaking wet and was out of breathe. "Sorry about my appearance," she said, "I was taking a quick swim to warm up."

Souda seemed to be smiling wider with each girl that came in. "If this is what the others are wearing," he whispered to Hinata, "Then Sonia..." At moment Sonia walked in. However, unlike the other girls, she had shown up in a skin-tight black wetsuit with pink stripes going down the sides of her bustline. "Sorry I'm late," Sonia said, "I wore this wetsuit to avoid sun damage, but had some trouble getting it on." Hinata thought Souda would have been disappointed, but to his surprise Souda had an approving smile on his face. "Just perfect," he whispered, "It leaves so much to imagination."

"Oh," Sonia said, noticing the two guys, "Souda, Hinata, you're here too." "We were actually planning on hitting the beach ourselves," Souda said, "Since we're heading for the same place, how about we join you?" Sonia thought for a second. "Well, I had planned on this being girls only, but I suppose there's no harm in allowing you to come with us." _'I don't believe it,'_ Hinata thought, _'Souda's plan actually worked.'_ As Souda went off to get things ready, Nanami walked over to Hinata. "Was Souda simply trying to get in on our meeting at the beach? Because this seems like too much of a coincidence." Hinata just shrugged, not wanting to dash his friends happiness.

Feeling uncomfortable surrounded by girls in bikinis, Hinata excused himself to help Souda. Just as he was entering the beach, the intercom rang out, 'A body has been discovered. A school trial will commence after a short period of time. Make the most of it to discover who killed the victim.' Hinata started to turn pale, then heard Souda call out, "Someone! Over here! In the beach house!" Hinata raced over to the beach house and tried the nearest door, only to find it blocked somehow. He then ran over to the other side and found that door opened easily. Inside, Hinata was shocked to find Koizumi propped up against the door in a pool of her own blood.

* * *

Back at Future Foundation, Koizumi was rubbing her head. "I'm still feeling some of the sting from that attack. Good thing I wasn't really killed, huh?" Her friends all laughed. "About that game," Enoshima said, "You do realize it's a more simplified version of the one that was _actually_ at the resort, right?" Koizumi nodded. "Yeah I know. The real deal was far more complex. So... Now we wait, right? Wait and see if my 'murderer' will get their 'justice' from the others. To be honest, she said she was hoping he would be coming out with her." "I'm not sure it even works like that," Naegi said, "But does it even matter? We'll be getting all of them out one way or another."

* * *

"Damn," Souda said, "And this day was starting off so well. Why Koizumi of all people? She was the most honest and kind-hearted out of all us, other than Sonia anyway." One by one the others arrived as well, all having been alerted to the presence of a body. Nanami had carefully filtered them in past the set of footprints that were leading outside the beach house. From their direction and size, they belonged to neither Souda nor Hinata. "I was wondering how long it would take," came Monokuma's voice, "Well, I believe you know how this works. One of you has killed poor Mahiru Koizumi. And in a short while we will be holding a class trial to find out who."

"So...," Tsumiki said, understandably shaken, "She really is..." "Are you sure this wasn't just an accident?," Souda said hopefully. "I'm afraid not," Monokuma said, "I'm still bound by the original rules my sister put in place, therefore if a student is in danger of dying in any way other than murder, I am obligated to render aid. Oh yes, before you begin your investigation, here's your new Monokuma File. Be sure to read it carefully. I hope you investigate as thoroughly as you did last time, for your own sakes." He handed out the copies of the file before disappearing.

"Damn," Owari said, "Another investigation, followed by another trial. Well, we may as well get started. Not like we have a choice in the matter." Hinata nodded. "Besides, I've got to know... Why someone would want Koizumi dead. They must have had some reason, just like Hanamura had his. I realize ultimately this is Monokuma's fault, but still... To do something like this is despicable." Tsumiki headed off to let the others know where the body was located, and the others got started on the investigation. Some enough the following facts were discovered:

-According to the Monokuma File, Koizumi had died at around 3:00 in the afternoon. The body was found inside the beach house. Cause of death was a single blow to the head with a blunt instrument. No other visible wounds or signs of poison.

-From the position of the body and a cursory examination of the blood, it appeared as though she had struggled to reach the door during the attack but only got halfway before expiring. The fact that her body was propped up against the door near the tunnel explained why it wouldn't open from the outside.

-Hinata remembered how earlier Nanami had pointed out the footprints leading out from the beach house door that opened onto the beach and straight to the tunnel. Since both Souda and Hinata had tried the tunnel-side door first, the footprints couldn't have belonged to them. Pekoyama also said that she had been swimming near the beach on the first island, so they weren't hers either.

-Not far from the body lay a metal bat covered in blood. In all likelihood it was the murder weapon.

-Right next to the body was a cartoon mask, which Sonia said depicted the anime character Sunny Witch Note Esper Itou-chan.

-There seemed to be a surprising amount of water bottles in the nearby trash can.

-Hinata remembered that the shower room in the beach house was broken, and in fact there was a sign on the door saying as much.

-Hinata and Owari worked together to get to the barred window in the shower room, which was surprisingly easy to open. However, since it took two people to even reach, they weren't sure how a single person could use it to escape.

-Inside the half-open closet, which wasn't open when Hinata was last there, he spotted a single yellow gummy on the floor.

-Hinata suddenly remembered that the girl known as E-ko in the Twilight Syndrome game had died in a manner identical to Koizumi. He decided to get Nanami's help in finding the missing link.

Nanami led Hinata to where the arcade machine was. On the way they passed Komaeda, who had apparently been freed by Monomi. Naturally he already knew about Koizumi's death and had also beaten the game. Once he was gone, Nanami turned to Komaeda. "Okay, do you remember the words you saw at the Game Over screen?" "You mean," Hinata said, "Dull Start?" Nanami nodded. "That's a secret code. Basically, at the start screen you input down, up, left, left, start. That will take you to the game's secret mode, where you can solve the game for real."

Once Hinata entered the code, the screen changed. "This is Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery's 'Truth Mode'," Nanami explained, "Playing through the game in this mode will unlock the true ending." The new game mode started with some exposition from the previous mode. The game then started on the first day, with the first four girls. Apparently, they were talking about how some of the girls' swimsuits had gone missing, and how E-ko's might have been one of them.

The girls then heard a noise from the second floor, and raced up there to see E-ko out of breathe. She had apparently heard the noise as well, but wasn't able to get into the room she had heard it from. D-ko grabbed a key from the staff room to open it. Inside the music room, they found a girl lying dead on the ground near a broken window. It seemed as though the person who killed her locked the door and broke the window to escape, likely taking the murder weapon with him. The girls thought he must have been in a panic, since there was also a broken aquarium in the room.

-That piece of information regarding the broken aquarium seemed important to Hinata, so he made a note of it.

-He also decided to make a note of the culprit's escape route that the girls had speculated on.

E-ko then mentioned that her swimsuit had been stolen, and that the killer had to be the same pervert that had been stealing all the swimsuits. This lead the girls to believe that the killer must have been trying to rape the poor victim, but she had resisted. When he wound up killing her, he panicked and escaped out the window.

-Hinata decided to make another note regarding the stolen swimsuit.

E-ko didn't want the police to suspect any of them after discovering the body, so she convinced the others that they should keep quite about this. Two days later, E-ko met with D-ko, who had taken a picture of a broken flower vase in the room next to the crime scene. This lead D-ko to believe that what they had heard wasn't a window breaking. She had nonetheless cleaned up the vase afterward so that E-ko wouldn't get in trouble. E-ko then mentioned how the dead girl had apparently been giving D-ko some serious trouble... And that the girl had been in the photography club with D-ko in junior high.

Then came a major revelation. Apparently E-ko had tried talking to the girl about leaving D-ko alone and not using her family's power as an excuse to do whatever she wants. When the girl threatened E-ko as well, E-ko wound up strangling the girl. Once the girl was unconscious, E-ko, fearing she would be in trouble once the girl woke up, had killed the poor girl. E-ko then ran off and left something near the trash. Then a boy, named F-suke, checked out the trash and found the picture of the broken flower vase. Remembering that E-ko was seen with the victim on the day she died, F-suke vowed to make her talk.

Once Hinata saw the Game Clear screen, he asked Nanami, "So this is the real ending?" Nanami nodded. "The events of the first and third days are the 'truth' route, meant to explain the events in the second and fourth days. Now watch the credits. They explain even further." After a few lines of how Monokuma made most of the game, Hinata noticed that the cast was made of Tsumiki, Koizumi, Saionji, Mioda, some girl named Satou, and two people with the last name Kuzuryuu.

As Hinata was realizing the implications of those names, Monokuma showed up. "Congratulations on your victory! This was mentioned at the start of the game, but this is based on non-fiction. It's an event that happened when you were at school that you don't even remember. Anyway, I have a prize for you as a reward for you completion of this game. However, it was already given to the first person to complete it. Sorry about that." Nanami sighed. "I guess I should have played the game sooner. He said the same thing to me when I played."

-The fact that there was a prize given to the first person who won the Twilight Syndrome game seemed very important to Hinata.

Komaeda was waiting for Hinata and Nanami just outside the park. He explained that he had convinced Tsumiki, Mioda, and Saionji to gather at the airport. Koizumi had been contemplating playing the Twilight Syndrome game and Komaeda had convinced her to try it when she was bringing him food. Mioda and Tsumiki mentioned that she had asked them to meet her at a certain point in time, but they had the beach party to attend. For some reason, Saionji claimed Koizumi hadn't asked her the same thing and ran off, leading Hinata, Komaeda, and Nanami to become suspicious.

-Inside Koizumi's cottage was the prize for winning the Twilight Syndrome game, a manille envelope with several pictures. The first was a picture of Tsumiki, Mioda, and Saionji in the entrance hall. It was likely the photo taken by D-ko on the first day in the game, which made Tsumiki A-ko, Saionji B-ko, Mioda C-ko, and Koizumi D-ko. That left Satou, the victim in the game's first mode, as E-ko.

-The second picture was the one of the broken flower vase D-ko had shown E-ko.

-The third photo was that of the victim from the game's second mode. It was in the music room meaning it was the one E-ko had supposedly destroyed.

-The fourth picture depicted E-ko's dead body, identical to the picture shown after the fake ending in the game's first mode.

-Nanami also found a note inside the envelope. It said something about playing the game and remembering what the recipient did to the writer's sister. This meant it wasn't Koizumi who had won the prize, but rather someone else had won it and sent it to Koizumi, which is why she had been contemplating playing the game. Hinata suddenly had a feeling he knew who had played the game first.

-Tsumiki finished her examination of the body, and found that Koizumi had died instantly upon being struck.

-Tsumiki had also found a note in Koizumi's pocket, apparently written by Saionji. It asked that the two of them meet at the beach house at 2:30.

-Komaeda had managed to copy almost everyone's footprints with the exception of Kuzuryuu. From the sketches he made, he was able to identify the footprints leading out of the beach house as belonging to Saionji.

-Komaeda had also found a bag of gummies in Saionji's cottage. Judging from what she had stockpiled, she gravitated towards a particular brand.

After finishing their investigations, the students were called back to Monokuma Rock. Once there, they took the elevator back down to the trial room. Hinata's mind was racing. He knew to survive he had to discover who Koizumi's killer was. There was simply no other option. But he couldn't help back shake the feeling, in the back of his mind, that this trial had a sense of familiarity to it.

* * *

"You're thinking the same thing I am, aren't you Dad?," Tora asked his father. Phoenix nodded. "Did you tell the others?" "I told them," Tora said, "Though I'm not sure if I'm right or not. If it is true, then this man is just as much a victim of Matsuda as the rest of us." Phoenix looked surprised at Tora, which made him chuckle. "Come on Dad, these are my friends. After everything we've been through and survived together, did you think I _wouldn't_ tell them?" "Heh," Phoenix said, "That's usually how it goes. Then again, breaking the stereotype is just how our family does things." Ooshida then showed up and started passing out popcorn.

* * *

Monokuma: Well! Why don't we start with the motive I gave you! Go on, talk about my masterpiece, "Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery"!

Mioda: Whaaat? Who cares about some stupid game?!

Tanaka: Is this duel's purpose not to unmask the murderer among us?

Komaeda: That's why we can't just leave it alone. The game was this murder's motive, remember?

Nanami: Hmmm... That's right. So, let's start there.

Komaeda: The people who completed it probably already know, but the game is based on a real incident.

Pekoyama: Some of us - myself included - have not played the game. Perhaps you should explain this in more detail...?

Komaeda: Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery is a non-fiction game, you see. And that's not all. The people involved in the incident depicted therein are among us.

Nidai: T-There are video game characters among us?!

Nanami: So... I think it would be best to start by making clear who those characters are.

Hinata: A-ko, who appears in the game, must be Tsumiki. Mikan Tsumiki, that is.

Tsumiki: Whaaaat?! M-Meeeee?!

Hinata: That timidness and stuttering... It's exactly like A-ko's. If we have to choose from the names appearing in the credits list, A-ko is the only one who fits.

Tsumiki: W-Why am I in a video game? That's an invasion of my privacy!

Saionji: Ha! An ugly pig trash girl like you has no right to privacy in the first place!

Nanami: Ah. I feel as though I heard the phrase "ugly pig trash girl" in the game too.

Saionji: ...Huh?

Hinata: In the game, B-ko was short and very rude... She must have been based on Saionji.

Saionji: Short and rude? That's taking way too much creative liberty!

Komaeda: Anyway, let's move one. It's C-ko's turn.

Hinata: That's easy... It's Ibuki Mioda. She's C-ko!

Mioda: Hey! Ibuki's no sicko! That's defamation! Ibuki will sue!

Nanami: So... Next up is D-ko.

Hinata: D-ko is Koizumi. Mahiru Koizumi... The victim.

Komaeda: Yeah, that much is indisputable. Let's skip E-ko for the time being, and move on to F-suke instead.

Hinata: F-suke is... Kuzuryuu, isn't he?

Kuzuryuu: Hmph. Are you saying I'm in that game? That's crap.

Komaeda: Ah, speaking of... There was another person named Kuzuryuu on that list, wasn't there?

Souda: ...There was?

Komaeda: It was right there in the credits... Tsumiki, Koizumi, Saionji, Mioda, Satou, Kuzuryuu, Kuzuryuu. That was the entire list.

Nidai: Hold it right there...! Why are you repeating Kuzuryuu's name...?!

Komaeda: I'm not making a mistake. That's the way it was on the credits list. What does it mean...? You finished the game, didn't you, Hinata? You must know, then.

Hinata: Both Kuzuryuu and his little sister appear in the game, don't they?

Kuzuryuu: Geh!

Owari: ...Hm? He has a little sister?

Hinata: F-suke said so in the game... Those words tell us that F-suke has a little sister. That sister actually appeared in the game. That's why the credits list two Kuzuryuus.

Komaeda: So... What role did F-suke and Kuzuryuu's little sister play in the game...? Surely you know that too, Hinata.

Hinata: She... Has to be the girl who died at the beginning of the game.

Komaeda: Based on their dialogue, E-ko can't possibly be F-suke's sister. Which means the only remaining possibility is the girl who died. That makes her Kuzuryuu's sister.

Kuzuryuu: Feh! What the fuck's this all about...? You're a piece of work, aren't you...!

Komaeda: A piece of work? Is that praise?!

Kuzuryuu: The complete opposite, retard!

Tanaka: It was mentioned that this game was non-fiction, was it not? Then... The sister in question...

Kuzuryuu: I do have a little sister, that much is true... But, so what?! It's just a game! We can't take it seriously!

Komaeda: It's not "just a game"... This game has an unquestionable link to reality... That's what makes it a good motive.

Kuzuryuu: D-Don't fuck with me, asshole! If she was that easy to kill, I'd have killed her myself a long time ago! B-Besides, she came to see me off when I took off for Hope's Peak. She stood right there, shooting her mouth off like she always does... It was just a few days ago...!

Monokuma: Um, your memory is gone, so that's only what it feels like to you-

Kuzuryuu: Shut up! Don't say another word!

Komaeda: I see... So you won't accept this game as reality until the bitter end, Kuzuryuu. Okay, I get it! So that's your strategy for this trial!

Nidai: Komaeda... You've cast a lot of suspicion on Kuzuryuu, but... Do you really believe he's the culprit?

Komaeda: It would be sad if this mystery was that simple... Not nearly enough to be a stepping stone for everyone... I would be happier if Kuzuryuu turns out not to be the culprit!

Souda: Bah. Weirdo.

Nanami: Anyway... With that, we've made it clear who the game's characters are, haven't we?

Tanaka: A-ko is Tsumiki, B-ko is Saionji, C-ko is Mioda, D-ko is Koizumi, F-suke is Kuzuryuu... And... The girl who was killed at the beginning is Kuzuryuu's little sister.

Kuzuryuu: It's just a game...!

Nanami: In that case, the remaining character, E-ko, is "Satou", but...

Mioda: Don't tell me it's _that_ Satou! The one from the rice?!

Nanami: I'm not sure what Satou you're talking about, but... I don't think she has anything to do with us.

Owari: She may be related to Tanaka! They both have cliched Japanese surnames!

Tanaka: Tanaka may be a common surname, but it is _leagues_ beyond Satou or Suzuki!

Monokuma: Hey, more importantly - how about we finally get to the main mystery of the game?!

Monomi: ...Huh? Was there a mystery in that game?

Monokuma: Oh, didn't you hear, dear? That E-ko character was killed!

Monomi: Oh my! Are you sure?

Monokuma: I tell you... These high school students today...

Monomi: Things aren't like they used to be...

Souda: So you're in cahoots after all!

Pekoyama: In short, the game's mystery is about this E-ko's murder, is it?

Komaeda: We can get this over with quickly, then! Let's handle the reason she was killed first!

Hinata: E-ko was killed because she was the one who killed the girl in the beginning.

Komaeda: In other words, E-ko was killed in revenge for that girl's death... What do you think, Kuzuryuu? We're saying E-ko was killed in revenge for your little sister.

Kuzuryuu: You're persistent, aren't you... I don't care about what happened in that game, but...

Komaeda: ...But?

Kuzuryuu: I-Is that really true...? Did that _E-ko_ really... Kill that girl...?

Komaeda: In order to make that clear, we have to solve the case of the first girl's murder.

Nanami: The murder in the music room. I thought it might come to this, so I prepared this. I drew a map of the first crime scene; the music room and its surroundings.

Hinata: ...That's unexpectedly diligent of you.

Nanami: Hmph... Mapping is an essential skill for a retro-game fan, you know. Old school dungeon-crawling RPGs had a first person camera, so mapping as you went was a fundamental skill to have.

Nidai: Argh! Keep this discussion for some other time and concentrate on the case!

Nanami: So... Let me first explain what happened in that first incident. A-ko, B-ko, C-ko, and D-ko heard the sound of broken glass from the entrance hall. They quickly headed to the second floor, where the sound came from, and when they reached it... They found E-ko waiting next to the second floor music room. She reported she had heard the sound from inside the room. But, the door to the music room was locked. D-ko went to retrieve a key from the staff room, and the 5 girls were able to enter the music room. Inside... They found the dead body of a girl who'd been hit on the head. The girls thought the culprit had escaped through the broken window they found in the room. They concluded the sound of broken glass they heard from the hall was this window. In addition, E-ko's swimsuit was stolen, so they decided the culprit who escape through the window was a pervert. ...That's about it.

Komaeda: Yeah, you've made it perfectly easy to understand! Your skill as a Super High School Level Gamer is showing!

Tsumiki: But it wasn't really a pervert, was it? The real culprit was E-ko, right?

Nidai: So... After E-ko killed the girl in the music room, she must've stepped into the corridor and waited for the other girls.

Mioda: Was the music room locked from the outside? In that case, she needed the staff room key!

Nidai: In other words... She had the key on her the entire time. She used it to lock the music room's door as soon as she left it!

Sonia: But... D-ko went to fetch that same key from the staff room just a short while later, didn't she?

Komaeda: By the way, let's not even bother assuming there was a spare key. The game would've referenced it if there was.

Nidai: In that case... Was the music room locked from the inside? And then E-ko broke the window and escaped... And then, she ran like the wind and reached the music room before the others did!

Nanami: But, in order to get back to the music room, she'd have to pass through the entrance hall the others were in, wouldn't she?

Nidai: In that case... I got nothing!

Souda: Sulkin' ain't gonna make you any cuter, y'know...

Saionji: Is the culprit even really E-ko? It doesn't make any sense at all!

Komaeda: After killing the girl in the music room... What did E-ko do?

Tanaka: She simply broke the nearest window... ...And took her leave.

Pekoyama: So how did she get from there... ...To back outside the music room?

Nanami: In order to get back there... She had to pass through the entrance hall, didn't she?

Tsumiki: But, about that entrance hall... ...The other four girls were there, I think.

Nidai: Yes. And that's where... ... They heard the sound of the window breaking.

Hinata: The sound the girls heard wasn't the sound of the window breaking.

Mioda: If it wasn't the window, then... What broke?

Hinata: A flower vase.

Mioda: A VAAAAAAAASE?!

Hinata: After the incident, a broken vase was found in a classroom next to the music room.

Nanami: The sound of broken glass the four girls heard wasn't the music room's window... It was the sound of that vase breaking... Probably.

Komaeda: In fact, the incident was already almost over at the time the girls met up in the entrance hall... After E-ko killed the girl, she broke the music room's window and went to retrieve the key from the staff room... Then, she locked the music room from outside, and went back to return the key. After that, she went back to the corridor in front of the music room. Then, she estimated the time the others would meet in the entrance hall, and all she had left to do was break the vase in the neighboring classroom.

Nidai: She made it look like the murder had just happened, and the culprit ran away...

Pekoyama: Then, she just faked having also arrived to the scene at that moment.

Tsumiki: I-I see! We solved the mystery!

Monokuma: But there's still more! For one, we don't even know what the murder weapon was!

Mioda: Who cares about that?! We know who the culprit is!

Monokuma: I care! I prepared a death match for you bastards and you're going to do it _properly_!

Souda: Don't be such a bother!

Nidai: Very well... Let's make it clear what the murder weapon was. If we don't it will be like a piece of shit that's just about to drop down... IN OTHER WORDS, DISGUSTING!

Saionji: You're the one who's disgusting.

Monokuma: Upupu. The murder weapon is not something you'd expect, but it was very definitely shown in the game! Can you bastards guess what it is?!

Souda: A weapon that was in the music room, huh... How about some shards of the broken glass?

Owari: Didn't she die from a blow to the head?

Sonia: So, she had the aquarium smashed on her!

Nidai: That's far too large to be a weapon...

Tanaka: Then, perhaps, a piano...

Nidai: That's even larger...

Tanaka: It played her a tune of a galactic catastrophe...

Nidai: That's a whole different kind of "large"!

Mioda: What about a smash to the head with some gravel?

Hinata: That's it... The culprit used gravel to kill the girl, didn't she?

Mioda: Oh my... Ibuki wasn't even being serious, but got it right anyway! Ha Haaaa! Ibuki's truly been chosen by god, hasn't she?!

Souda: No, you haven't and no, it's not the gravel! It's too small! It can't be a weapon!

Hinata: What if the gravel was inside some kind of bag?

Tsumiki: A bag...? What bag?

Hinata: Since the weapon was properly introduced in the game... So was the bag. The only thing that fits is the school swimsuit! When tied up into a bag with the gravel inside, it's a perfect weapon.

Mioda: Gravel in a swimsuit?! A bizarre idea that would astonish Mr. Wright himself!

Nanami: But, by using it, the culprit killed two birds with one stone. In order to make it look like the culprit was a pervert, she had her swimsuit "stolen"... That is, she destroyed it after using it as a murder weapon.

Hinata: How about it, Monokuma? Satisfied?

Monokuma: Ah, the joy of seeing someone solve your mystery... A wonderful feeling known only to writers!

Komaeda: But, we haven't reached the real important issue yet. E-ko had an accomplice. And that accomplice... Was D-ko.

Owari: D-ko... That was Koizumi, wasn't it?

Saionji: Huh? Big sis was an accomplice...? What's going on? What do you mean?

Hinata: D-ko destroyed the one important piece of evidence for the music room incident... The remains of the flower vase.

Nanami: Besides... The reason E-ko killed the girl in the first place seems to have been to protect D-ko. It appears D-ko was receiving all kinds of abuse from the murdered girl... E-ko found out about that and tried to stop the girl, but they got into an argument...

Nidai: I can see where this is going... She ended up killing her, didn't she?

Komaeda: But, she clearly had murderous intentions. She strangled the girl and then hit her hard on the head when she lost consciousness, after all.

Tsumiki: S-She must have caused her to lose consciousness without meaning to, and felt there was no going back... S-Somehow, I-I think I can understand her.

Mioda: You do?! That's kinda scary!

Komaeda: Then, of course, E-ko was also killed on the game's last day, the 4th day. Just to make sure we're on the same page... Who do you think killed E-ko?

Hinata: It was probably... F-suke.

Tanaka: A well worn tale... Consumed by the burning desire to avenge his sister, F-suke killed E-ko!

Souda: B-But... Haven't we said F-suke was...

Kuzuryuu: ...Aa? I told you, it's just a game.

Komaeda: You would say that. If this game is true, it would be a big problem for you, Kuzuryuu.

Nidai: Oy! Can someone explain it clearly? Does no one who was in the game remember anything?

Tsumiki: I-I offer my sincere apologies, but...

Monokuma: You don't remember! Of course you don't! Your precious school memories were stolen from you, after all!

Saionji: It doesn't matter if we remember or not! He's clearly the culprit! Who else but criminal scum like Kuzuryuu could kill big sis Koizumi, who was so nice and kind?! He killed both E-ko and big sis Koizumi!

Kuzuryuu: Feh... Of _course_ I get blamed for everything. Well, it's not like I'm not used to it.

Pekoyama: But, is Koizumi's murder really connected to the game? Isn't it possible it has nothing to do with it?

Hinata: I can't imagine they aren't connected. At the very least, the culprit must have played the game. There's proof. Koizumi, who was killed at the beach house... ...And E-ko, who was killed in the game, were both killed with a blow to the head by a metal bat. We can't ignore this similarity, can we?

Saionji: He's obsessed with taking his revenge by killing his victims the same way - a smash to the head. How about you confess already? You killed big sis Koizumi, didn't you?

Kuzuryuu: D-Don't fuck with me...! There's no way a stupid game would become anyone's motive!

Saionji: You're so stupid you believed that game, and then went away to take your revenge!

Pekoyama: If we jump to conclusion like this, we're just going to talk in circles... Besides... Kuzuryuu may indeed be suspicious, but don't you think it's all a little too obvious?

Kuzuryuu: W-What is...?

Pekoyama: It's possible that this is a trap set by the real culprit.

Saionji: A-A trap...? What trap...?

Pekoyama: The real culprit must have played the game, and discovered the truths hidden within. Then, they used that knowledge to set up Kuzuryuu to take the fall.

Sonia:Are you saying a completely separate culprit killed Koizumi and used the game-provided motive as a cover?

Pekoyama: Isn't that right, _Saionji_?

Saionji: ...What?!

Pekoyama: I think I made myself very clear! I am claiming that you are the real culprit!

Saionji: Oh? Is that your idea of a joke...? A creepy ugly poop-head like you should keep her mouth shut! What the heck are you saying, you stupid four-eyes! Me, killing big sis Koizumi...? Waaaaaaaah! How cruel!

Mioda: How come Hiyoko's a suspect now?

Pekoyama: Do you know what Saionji did today? She went to the murder scene, the beach house!

Saionji: I didn't go to the beach house...!

Hinata: Wait just a second. You did go to that beach house, Saionji.

Saionji: I-I just said that I didn't, didn't I?!

Hinata: But... The footprints left in front of the beach house are yours, aren't they?

Saionji: M-My footprints aren't that ugly! You should ask Tsumiki about them, not me!

Tsumiki: Please don't say they're mine just because they're ugly!

Komaeda: Oh? So these footprints aren't yours, Saionji? That's strange... The footprints I found in your room match them perfectly, after all.

Saionji: I-In my room...? What the heck have you been doing, you creepy pedo?!

Pekoyama: There's more. The footprints next to the beach house are leading out of it. That is, when the person who left them entered the beach house, they used a different entrance.

Tsumiki: A different entrance...? Are you talking about the tunnel-side door? The one that Koizumi was blocking?

Nidai: In that case, when that person entered, the body wasn't there yet?!

Mioda: A door they could use when entering, but not when exiting...

Pekoyama: Which means, something happened while they were inside. Isn't that so, Saionji?!

Saionji: Oh, now I remember! I did go to the beach house, now that I think about it!

Tanaka: At last, a confession...

Saionji: You all probably already know this, but I go on morning walks every day!

Mioda: That's the first Ibuki's heard of this!

Saionji: That's when I went to the beach house today! During my morning walk!

Owari: I see! In that case, it has nothing to do with the murder.

Kuzuryuu: Don't believe her so easily, you idiot! She's obviously lying!

Owari: Huh?! She is?!

Saionji: People who call others liars are often the ones actually telling the lies, you know? If you think I'm lying, how about proving it?! Can you prove I'm lying?! Can you?! Kyahahahaha! Someone as incompetent as you will never be able to do it! I did go to the beach house... But it was just during my morning walk!

Hinata: You've only been there during your morning walk? Can you still make that claim after I show you this letter?

Tsumiki: T-This is... The letter I found on Koizumi, isn't it?

Tanaka: I see. Judging by the content of this letter, Saionji set an appointment with Koizumi at the beach house.

Saionji: W-Where the heck did this letter come from...? I've never seen it, honestly!

Souda: Hey! I just remembered! You were there! I saw you!

Saionji: Huh?!

Souda: When me and Hinata were waiting for the beach party, we arrived at the diner around 3 o'clock. I saw you passing by about 30 minutes later. That makes it about 3:30.

Pekoyama: Hmm. If we assume she had met Koizumi at 2:30, then killed her and ran away... The fact that Souda saw her at 3:30 matches that theory well.

Saionji: I-It doesn't... You're all wrong...!

Souda: Speaking of, you passed in front of the diner as well, Kuzuryuu. Did you happen to spot her as well?

Kuzuryuu: No, I didn't... I was just passing by the area by chance. I paid no attention to the beach house. I went straight back to the hotel after meeting you there. I saw no one on the way back.

Mioda: No one?! That's even more suspicious!

Kuzuryuu: It's the truth. What can I say?

Pekoyama: Let's leave him alone for now. I see no reason to pursue this any farther. Anyway, the letter and Souda's testimony tell the entire story. Saionji met Koizumi at the beach house.

Saionji: I said I've never seen it! I never wrote any letter! I-I'm telling the truth... I really don't know anything... WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Mioda: A-Are those real tears? Are they fake tears?

Nidai: Of course they're fake.

Pekoyama: She most likely planned on killing Koizumi all along, and set up a meeting at the beach house. That's why the letter explicitly asks not to talk to anyone else about it. Then, she arrived at the beach house early, hid somewhere, and waited for Koizumi to arrive. There's proof of that, too!

Hinata: The place Saionji hid... It was the closet, wasn't it,

Pekoyama: Yes, it was. The proof is the piece of gummy that we found on the floor there. Saionji... You like eating those things, don't you?

Saionji: G-Gummies...? I-I've never eaten anything like that in my life...!

Tanaka: Heh heh heh... At long last, we have grasped the true form of this mystery! After luring Koizumi to the beach house, Saionji concealed herself in the closet, much like a common familiar... She assaulted Koizumi as soon she got the chance, and was soon gone like the wind itself.

Pekoyama: The fact that Koizumi's dead body was blocking the door at that point was a simple miscalculation on Saionji's part. She had no choice but to escape through the beach-side door, and ended up leaving her footprints there.

Tanaka: Fuwahaha! That's proof enough! And without any help from the Four Dark Gods of Destruction to boot!

Saionji: I-It's a trap! Someone set a trap for me!

Mioda: Who's that "someone"?! If you're making an accusation, tell us who it is!

Saionji: M-Maybe it's, um, that guy...? Y'know, the one with the mask...?

Tsumiki: The one with the mask...?

Saionji: There was a suspicious mask on the beach house's floor, wasn't there? The person who wore that mask is the real culprit...

Owari: It was probably you who had that mask on when you killed Koizumi.

Saionji: There's no way I'd ever wear such a childish mask! Is your brain melting or something?!

Sonia: Yes. It was not Saionji! This mask belongs to Kirakira-chan!

Mioda: ...Eh? Who-chan?

Sonia: This mask reveals all! Kirakira-chan is hiding on this island! That is, the famous serial killer Kirakira-chan is the true culprit who killed Koizumi!

Tanaka: Cease your incoherent blabbering at once, _fiend_, or I shall dismember you on the spot!

Souda: G-Give her a break! She's from a different culture... It's just her culture shock speaking or something!

Nidai: Saionji, it's time to act responsibly and confess! Your unwillingness to accept your defeat is getting ugly!

Saionji: Your _face_ is ugly! I'm not the culprit at all! Why doesn't anyone get it?!

Tanaka: It is time for us to render out verdict... The culprit we seek is Hiyoko Saionji!

Saionji: I told you, it's a trap!

Nidai: You went to the beach house... That much is certain, isn't it?

Saionji: B-But, I...

Kuzuryuu: It's also clear that you hid in the closet. That's when you dropped that gummy, after all!

Hinata: That piece of gummy... Was it really Saionji who dropped it?

Kuzuryuu: Heh. That midget's the only one here who still eats those things... Despite her age.

Saionji: Y-_You're_ a midget too! You must be lying awake every night worrying about your height!

Hinata: Saionji certainly likes eating gummies, but... She's very... Particular... About the type of gummies she eats.

Komaeda: Strawberry, melon, grape, and orange... You only eat those four flavors, don't you?

Tsumiki: Huh? But, what about lemon...? I mean... The piece that was at the crime scene was yellow... It looked like it was lemon-flavored...

Saionji: Huh? The gummy was yellow? It's not mine! I _never_ eat yellow gummies!

Pekoyama: What...?

Komaeda: She's not lying... She had bags of gummies stockpiled in her cottage, but there wasn't a single yellow gummy in sight...

Nanami: So, we can't be certain it was Saionji who dropped that piece of gummy, can we?

Saionji: S-See?! It's a trap after all! Dammit... Who'd set a trap like that for me...? I'll have my revenge! I'll pinch their forehead so hard their skull will collapse!

Kuzuryuu: Just a second, shithead! Do you really think you can escape suspicion just because of a stupid peace of gummy?! Don't fuck with me! You're not getting out of this so easily! Saionji isn't clear of suspicion yet! The biggest piece of evidence against her still stands!

Tsumiki: You mean the footprints in front of the beach house?

Nidai: That is most certainly an important piece of evidence... ...And it's all thanks to Koizumi that we have it!

Mioda: What do you mean, "thanks to Koizumi"?

Owari: Koizumi used the last bit of her strength...

Hinata: No, it can't have been Koizumi who blocked the door. I mean... Didn't she die instantly?

Owari: S-She did?

Tsumiki: According to my examination... Yes, it was undoubtedly an instant death.

Kuzuryuu: I-If I find out you've done a half-assed job, _you'll_ have an instant death!

Tsumiki: Hyaaa! I-I'm sorry!

Sonia: Kuzuryuu, that's no good. Threatening women is a cowardly act.

Komaeda: It's probably true that her death was instantaneous, though. It was caused by just a single blow. Which means it wasn't her who blocked the tunnel-side door. Someone else used her body to block it.

Tsumiki: S-Someone else...? Who...?

Hinata: ...The culprit, of course. The culprit blocked the door with Koizumi's corpse. The body being dragged was probably what left all that blood on the floor.

Mioda: But, why would the culprit block the door?

Kuzuryuu: If we really want to know, we can just ask the culprit! I mean, it was clearly Saionji!

Saionji: I-I told you, I'm not...!

Nanami: If Saionji is the culprit... That would also make her the one who pulled the body up to the door, right? With all the blood that was left at the scene... I think whoever moved the body would end up with blood all over them.

Souda: Huh? But, when I saw here, there... ...There wasn't a spot on her!

Saionji: See?! I'm not the culprit! Yaaaaay! That proves I'm not guilty once and for all!

Kuzuryuu: T-This proves nothing!

Hinata: Kuzuryuu... Why do you keep insisting Saionji is the culprit?

Kuzuryuu: S-Shut up! I'm telling you, she's the culprit! She must be! There's a shower in that beach house... All she'd have had to do about the blood... Was wash it off in the shower!

Hinata: No, she can't have used the shower. After all... The shower is still under repairs!

Kuzuryuu: I-It is?

Monomi: I'm sorry... I couldn't fix it in time...

Kuzuryuu: So... Maybe she took her clothes off before she moved the body? And then, after she was done, she put them back on...

Saionji: W-Why would I ever do such a perverted thing?!

Hinata: Listen, Kuzuryuu... Remember what Saionji told us before? In other words... If Saionji had taken her clothes off, she wouldn't have been able to put them on again.

Kuzuryuu: W-What the...!

Owari: Now I remember! She couldn't tie her obi by herself! She even skipped showers and got all stinky!

Saionji: I-I wasn't stinky... I just smelled a little...

Nanami: Ah. Isn't it also forbidden to change in the beach house in the first place?

Monomi: Yep! If someone broke the rules, I don't think Monokuma would let them get away with it...

Monokuma: Of course! Even the handlers at the safari park knew not to break any rules around me!

Mioda: So if we lose the clothes changing trick, how did Hiyoko get rid of all the blood on her?!

Saionji: I didn't have any on me in the first place! I never touched big sis' body!

Souda: Hey, if we follow this line of thought... Isn't the one who _did_ have blood all over her suspicious? When she came to meet us before the beach party... Owari was drenched with blood, wasn't she?

Owari: That was from my big fight with ol' man Nidai!

Nidai: I can vouch for that. She wouldn't give up until she was hurt that bad!

Owari: Hah... Cheeky, Souda, cheeky... Right! When we're done here, I'm gonna make sure you can't lift your cheeks off the ground!

Mioda: This is gonna be _so cool_!

Souda: What?! No it won't!

Saionji: Hey, forget that... I'm cleared, right? Do we all agree I'm not the culprit now?

Nanami: Yeah, so it seems.

Saionji: Didn't I say so from the very beginning...? I'd never kill big sis Koizumi... She showed me how to tie my obi... She was so nice to me... Why would I ever kill her?! Why did it take you so long to get it?! You're all stupid! Stupid stupid stupid stupid!

Tsumiki: Saionji... Please don't cry. Everything's alright now, right?

Saionji: Shut up, ugly pig! I hope you die of deep-set nail complications!

Tsumiki: Hiii! I'm sorry for being an ugly pig!

Komaeda: Hey, Saionji... Now that no one is suspecting you anymore, how about telling us the truth?

Saionji: ...Huh?

Komaeda: You may not be the culprit... But you did go to the beach house, didn't you?

Saionji: I-I told you... It was a trap...!

Komaeda: Yeah, yeah, we know... So how about you tell us what the trap was, exactly?

Nidai: I want to know as well... Perhaps it can give us some sort of hint...!

Saionji: O-Okay... All I have to do is tell you, right? You see... This morning big sis Koizumi came to see me. She wanted us to meet with some other people later...

Mioda: Huh? But didn't you tell a completely different story earlier? Was that all a big lie, you little brat?!

Saionji: I-I thought you'd all suspect me if I told the truth... That's why I kept quiet...

Nidai: And so... How did you respond to Koizumi's invitation?

Saionji: I told her I'd be there. Not like I had any reason to refuse. Big sis Koizumi wasn't like the rest of you... I wasn't embarrassed when I was with her...

Souda: Doesn't know when to stop, does she...?

Saionji: When we first talked, we agreed to meet at 2 in the afternoon, but... Around noon, I found a letter in my mailbox.

Nanami: ...A letter?

Saionji: Yeah. Here it is... After reading this letter... I went to the beach house at 2 o'clock, like we agreed...

Hinata: Doesn't this letter contradict the one Koizumi had? In Koizumi's letter, the meeting time was 2:30. But, in the one Saionji got...

Nidai: Wha! The meeting times don't match at all!

Hinata: Besides, it's strange that both letters talk about wanting to change the meeting location. If just one of them said it, it would be one thing, but for both of them to say the same thing...

Mioda: H-Hiyoko! You wrote Mahiru's letter! What do you think?!

Saionji: I told you, I never wrote any letter! How many times do I have to repeat it?!

Hinata: Both letters... Must be fakes, sent by the culprit...

Komaeda: The culprit tried to control both Koizumi and Saionji's actions... Yeah, that sounds about right.

Nidai: Yes, that certainly seems to be the case. In fact, if we compare the two letters... Yes! The handwriting is exactly the same! The content is also a very close match!

Nanami: "I wanted to tell you directly, but I couldn't find you so I'm putting this in your mailbox"... "I think there are people who want to interfere with our meeting"... "So, let's keep this a secret, and try to avoid each other before we get there"... And so on.

Tsumiki: S-So both letters were fakes by the culprit...

Tanaka: And so, the two girls were set dancing to the whims of our unseen puppetmaster...

Saionji: H-How could I let myself be tricked so easily... By the culprit who killed big sis Koizumi... Waaaaaaaaaaaah! It's not faaair! Gimme back my big sis!

Komaeda: She's right... This is so very unfair... I kept asking you to, but the culprit didn't even come to consult with me... It's me who's at fault here, of course! My pitiful unreliability was the problem!

Mioda: The moment we lower our guards he's back to that!

Owari: ...Hey! Can I punch him this time?!

Hinata: ..._Anyway_, Saionji went to the beach house at 2 o'clock, as directed by the letter, didn't she?

Pekoyama: What's important is what followed. What did happen in that beach house?

Saionji: Tee-hee... I fell asleep!

Tsumiki: How come you fell asleep?!

Saionji: It's not like I wanted to... I think someone drugged me or something...

Sonia: Postal! _Drugged_?!

Tsumiki: I-It must have been one of the anesthetics from the pharmacy... I knew it was dangerous to have drugs like that out in plain sight! I thought so the moment I saw them there...

Souda: If you thought so, why didn't you _do_ something?!

Tsumiki: Hyaaa! I-I'm sorry!

Saionji: When I woke up, I found myself stuffed in that small closet... And when I went out... B-Big sis Koizumi's body was right there...

Mioda: And then, you ran out of the beach house in distress, didn't you!

Saionji: I-I was scared... So scared... I couldn't help myself... Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Nanami: The culprit must have been trying to frame Saionji all along. They called her to the beach house before the victim got there, drugged her, and put her in the closet...

Tanaka: They even blocked the side-door with a corpse... All to force their mark to leave through the beach.

Tsumiki: I-It was all to push the blame on to Saionji...

Saionji: It's so unfair... I didn't do anything bad, and yet... The culprit who took big sis Koizumi away from me... Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Sonia: S-Saionji, please don't cry. We all believe in you...!

Kuzuryuu: Hrmph. Are you morons actually _buying_ this? Some fake teats are all it takes to convince you people...!

Nidai: If we keep doubting her this ordeal will never end!

Kuzuryuu: Isn't that what the class trial is _for_? Doubt is the only defense we have down here... The only way to survive is to doubt everyone and everything... So, why the _fuck_ are you suddenly all _trusting_ each other?! Are you actually that dumb?!

Komaeda: You've got that wrong, Kuzuryuu... This isn't a place for about. It's a place for cooperation. The class trial is a place where everyone can cooperate to reach a common goal. The culprit and the rest of the students... Two conflicting hopes, fighting for the right to be realized... The clash of the two hopes is a wonder to behold! That is the true beauty of the class trial!

Souda: Look, do you want us to find the culprit or not?

Komaeda: I will ally with any absolute hope... Any hope strong enough to crush any despair. That absolute hope that lies on the other side of this clash between hopes!

Tanaka: He is neither black nor white, but a creature of grey... He cares not for victory nor even his own life... So long as there is a battle.

Mioda: ...Frankly, he'd be more trustworthy if he just admitted he was working for the culprit...

Hinata: Enough of this... We shouldn't waste our time listening to him again...

Nidai: Yes... Our problem is figuring out who killed Koizumi!

Sonia: There must be some new clue in Saionji's story... Let's take what she's told us to be the truth, and discuss the mystery one more time!

Monomi: Yep, yep! A debate based on trust is the way to go! That's right! That is the right way to do things! The wonderful power of unity! Take that, Monokuma! We won't let you do as you please!

Monokuma: Zzzzzz... Zzzzzz...

Monomi: Howawa?! He's asleep!

Kuzuryuu: Idiots... You don't get it, do you... Don't you realize what happens if you act this way? All that's waiting at the end is a cold, cruel reality...

* * *

"You know," Phoenix said, "Mioda may have said someone using a swimsuit filled with gravel would surprise me, but after all I've seen in my career, I can be pretty difficult to surprise." Ooshida was merrily munching on her popcorn. "This is where it gets good. We've already removed the fake culprit, now we can move on to who the real culprit is. Assuming Kamukura can even figure it out." Naegi sighed. "I'm still not sure I'm sold on the whole 'show them despair to give them hope' angle." "Look at it this way," Enoshima said, "If someone who has wallowed in despair his whole life sees the effect on someone else, what do you think the chances are that they'll realize they can't live their life like that?" "Good point," Naegi said.

* * *

Mioda: Um, so... Even if we choose to believe Hiyoko's story... What do we do now?

Nanami: If the culprit's goal was to set a trap for Saionji, the trap itself might be a clue.

Pekoyama: Are you talking about the letters?

Nanami: ...Nope. I'm talking about the gummy.

Owari: Huh? Since when is a piece of candy a clue?

Nanami: Saionji, when you woke up inside the closet, was the gummy already there?

Saionji: Ah! Now that you mention it... I don't think it was.

Nanami: ...Just as I thought.

Hinata: ...What's on your mind?

Nanami: If the culprit set up the false evidence while Saionji was asleep, they would risk her finding it and throwing it away.

Nidai: In other words, the gummy was placed in the closet _after_ Saionji escaped the beach house?

Saionji: Did they come back after I left?

Tanaka: They need not have taken that chance... They would need only to hide themselves away... And _wait_.

Saionji: That's not possible! There's nowhere to hide in there! I even took a peek in the shower room before I ran out, and there was no one there!

Souda: So... Maybe they _did_ come back?

Nanami: Hmmm... Which is it...? I have a feeling that question is important to discovering the truth...

Hinata: The culprit... Was hiding, right?

Saionji: How sad... All that time just standing there thinking, and _that's_ the best you can come up with? I just told you there was nowhere to hide in there, didn't I? Do I need to explain this again in a different language?

Mioda: The second she's out of suspicion, she's back to her regular abuse!

Hinata: No, there _was_ a place to hide. Somewhere you never looked, Saionji.

Saionji: A-And where would that be? If you're just guessing, I'll have Owari pinch you so had your forehead will shine forever!

Hinata: The culprit must have hidden inside the closet.

Saionji: The closet...?! But, that's where _I_ was!

Hinata: When you woke up, you panicked and left it immediately, didn't you? You probably never gave it a second look.

Pekoyama: But, could two people really fit in such a cramped space? And, in such a way that Saionji wouldn't even notice that someone else is there?

Nanami: That's exactly why the culprit chose that area. There, they could create their own hiding place...

Hinata: There was a place they could hide in there, wasn't there? Inside on of those surfboard cases piled on the shelves.

Saionji: What? Inside a surfboard case?

Nanami: Those shelves... Were really in a mess, weren't they? There were shelves that had two cases on them, and surfboards left out of their cases. The culprit did that on purpose, I think. To give themselves somewhere to hide. After all, we all just came to this island. The place shouldn't have been that messy.

Saionji: So... The culprit was there right beside me?

Hinata: Yeah... They were right there next to you, holding their breath and hiding.

Mioda: You know what they say! "In for a penny, in for a pound".

Nidai: "The darkest place is under the candlestick"... So to speak.

Mioda: Ha ha! You shouldn't follow something you don't even understand with "so to speak"!

Hinata: A-Anyway... That's where the culprit lay hidden. Then, once they were certain Saionji had left... That's when they finally came out of the surfboard case.

Komaeda: I completely support this conclusion!

Owari: ...No one asked you.

Komaeda: The culprit wouldn't have wanted to leave their fake evidence while Saionji was still in the beach house... After all, if she found the evidence and got rid of it, all their work would have been for nothing. It's pretty obvious that the culprit hid somewhere in the beach house and watched over Saionji's actions!

Owari: I _said_ no one asked you! Right! Time for you to shut your mouth and prepare for a good beating! Good, you shut your mouth. Now clench you jaw and get ready.

Komaeda: Sorry, Owari. That's not it... Hey, Monokuma. There's something that's troubling me. May I ask a question?

Monokuma: I think Prince Shotoku really did come from the future. All major events in human history have future people behind them, after all.

Komaeda: Let's keep the time travel discussion for another time... The condition for the "body discovery announcement" was that three or more people discover the body, right? Those "three or more people"... Does that include the culprit?

Monokuma: Ahh, um, you see... Well, basically, you'd think so, huh...

Komaeda: You're stammering.

Monokuma: Oh, for heaven's sake! You're an annoying one, pushing this silly little point like this! Um, sorry for starting with an excuse, but the body discovery announcement was never intended to be part of the mystery! It's there so we can all have a fair trial... So everyone can know that a body has been discovered.

Komaeda: So, you find it regrettable that I bring it up now? Well, I can see your point... But, depending on the body discovery situation, that "3 or more people" rule may become critical.

Monokuma: That's why as long as I haven't said anything definitive, I'd like you to treat it flexibly.

Komaeda: Treat it flexibly, huh? Well, how about today's murder? Do the 3 people include the murderer or not?

Monokuma: Fine, fine, I get it. I should come out and say it, right? This time, it doesn't include the culprit. Happy? Now leave me alone.

Komaeda: In other words, three people other than the culprit discovered Koizumi's body.

Hinata: Does that... Matter?

Komaeda: Nope, it just worried me a little so I had to ask. Let's return to our previous discussion.

Nidai: You really like your little digressions, don't you...?!

Tsumiki: U-Um... We were just talking about how the culprit hid inside a surfboard case, weren't we?

Mioda: And then, after Hiyoko ran away, the culprit was free to proceed with their crime scene tampering spree.

Tanaka: But, before we can proceed... One obstacle yet remains in our way. Before the petulant one took her leave, the culprit moved the corpse to block the door. Their clothes would be stained with blood... And yet...

Nidai: That's right... No one had any incriminating bloodstains on them...

Komaeda: Oh, don't worry... You've gotten this far, I'm sure you'll find the answers in no time. Let the discussion begin! What did the culprit do with the bloodstains on their body?

Nanami: Couldn't they simply wash them off?

Kuzuryuu: They couldn't use the shower, remember? It was impossible to wash them off.

Hinata: If all they had to do was wash away some bloodstains, they didn't really have to use the shower. They could have easily used something else!

Kuzuryuu: Something else...? Like what?

Hinata: The drinks from the fridge. Those could be used to wash some blood off someone's body, right?

Pekoyama: You may say that... But it is still impossible.

Hinata: ...W-Why?

Pekoyama: Try to remember what was in that refrigerator. You should soon realize your error. You will realize it is impossible for someone to have used those drinks! There were no water bottles inside that fridge.

Hinata: No, there _were_ water bottles in that fridge.

Pekoyama: D-Don't make me repeat it again. I'm sure there were no water bottles in there...

Hinata: But that was after the incident, wasn't it? That wasn't the case before... I'm sure there were water bottles in there. Then, the culprit used all of them to wash the blood off their body!

Pekoyama: Are you saying... The water was gone because the culprit used it all? That's a little far-fetched...!

Hinata: It's not far-fetched at all... There was plenty of evidence left inside the trashcan. A large amount of identical plastic bottles... They must have been it.

Nanami: Oh, those bottles sure do look like water bottles, don't they?

Souda: Y'know... Now I think about it... When I was at the beach house a couple of days ago, I'm pretty sure I drank some water out of one of those bottles...

Tsumiki: Fuweh?! You should've noticed that faster!

Sonia: So... Was bottled water really used in lieu of the shower?

Mioda: Washing your body with a large amount of bottled water... That's truly a simple, acceptable solution!

Komaeda: It seems you've finally noticed it too, Hinata. Who the culprit is, I mean...

Hinata: ...Eh?

Komaeda: It was bound to happen.

Kuzuryuu: W-Wait... You know who... The culprit is...?

Tsumiki: I-Is that true?!

Tanaka: Then let us hear your accusation!

Hinata: Pekoyama... It's you, isn't it?!

Saionji: Hey... Why so quiet? You've just been accused of murder, y'know!

Pekoyama: Well, then. I suppose we should hear you out. Why do you think I am the culprit?

Hinata: I remembered how you appeared when you arrived at the diner for the beach party. If the culprit had washed their entire body with bottled water, it would be strange if they were dry... There were no towels at the beach house, and it would have taken too much time to dry in the sun. You attempted to cover it up by telling us you went for a swim, didn't you?

Souda: S-Say something! Don't just stand there with your mouth shut!

Kuzuryuu: Wait a second, bastards! All you said is you saw her at the diner... No one said anything about her coming from the beach house, right? She probably _did_ just come back from a swim!

Souda: Yeah, but no one saw her do _that_ either!

Kuzuryuu: No... I saw her...

Souda: ...Huh?

Kuzuryuu: After... I met you at the diner... I passed by her on my way back to the hotel... S-So... She didn't come to the diner from the beach house. I'm certain of it.

Hinata: Wait... No, wait... That's not what you said earlier! You said you didn't see anyone back then. You can't just go back on that now.

Kuzuryuu: Keh...! I-It's still not enough...! We still can't say for sure she's the culprit! We don't even know how the culprit got out of the beach house, do we?!

Tsumiki: N-Now that he mentions it...That's right...

Kuzuryuu: The tunnel-side door was blocked, and there would've been footprints if they used the beach-side door... So, where did the culprit escape from, and how?!

Mioda: Um... Why is Fuyuhiko so upset? It's Peko who's our current suspect!

Kuzuryuu: T-That doesn't matter! Let's see you solve _this_ mystery!

Nanami: ...I think we can. Probably.

Kuzuryuu: ...What?!

Pekoyama: ...Are you saying you know the answer to that question? It's the one thing that has completely stumped us so far.

Nanami: But, you see, if we assume you are the culprit, Pekoyama... Things begin to make a little sense.

Pekoyama: Is that so... Fine, let's hear you make sense of it. How did the culprit leave the beach house?

Nanami: Well... First, let's think about the culprit's escape route...

Hinata: If both the tunnel-side door and the beach-side door were impossible, there'd be only be one option left... ...The window in the shower room.

Kuzuryuu: Heh. Don't you know how high that window is? Pekoyama couldn't possibly reach it...

Tsumiki: B-But... If someone helped her...

Owari: If she stood on someone's shoulders she could probably reach it, but... Whoever it was would've been left behind...

Sonia: Perhaps she used some kind of tool? A rope, for example...

Kuzuryuu: And what happened to that tool once she was out? Don't be stupid any say she just threw it away somewhere.

Nidai: Besides, that would clearly be against the rules!

Mioda: Throwing away garbage is forbidden... Even if that garbage is evidence.

Kuzuryuu: See? That window's no good after all...!

Nanami: No... It's fine if she used a tool.

Mioda: Chiaki, you shouldn't fall asleep in the middle of a discussion! We were just talking about why that's impossible!

Nanami: Were we? I thought we were talking about how it's impossible to _dispose_ of a tool, not how it was impossible to _use_ one.

Tsumiki: I see! If she kept it with her and hid it somewhere it would be alright!

Saionji: Huh? Big sis Pekoyama was in a swimsuit, y'know! Where would she hide a tool? And don't try to tell me she used her private female parts if you want to stay healthy!

Tsumiki: N-No...! Please, no more violence!

Hinata: Pekoyama... You always have that shinai on your back. I've never seen you without it. It was the same... Back then. You were in a swimsuit, and yet you had that shinai on you, as always.

Nidai: A-Are you saying she used that shinai to escape through the window...?

Hinata: It sounds absurd, but... Pekoyama used her shinai as a springboard to reach the window.

Mioda: A-A springboard sword?!

Owari: See? I told 'ya it was a ninja! A ninja could easily climb that wall! There's a famous ninja technique for climbing walls. They lean their sword against the wall and use the guard as a springboard.

Sonia: Yes! That's what Japanese ninja do!

Souda: Sonia... There's no such thing as _non_-Japanese ninja!

Nanami: Pekoyama only had a bamboo sword, but... Well, she's a pretty lightweight girl so she could do it with ease... Most likely.

Hinata: How about it, Pekoyama? Do you have something to say?

Kuzuryuu: W-Wait just a fucking minute! She used a _sword_ to escape?! How the fuck did she get that sword back, then? It would've been left behind in the shower room, you retard!

Hinata: K-Kuzuryuu... Why are you...?

Kuzuryuu: S-Shut up! Just answer the question! Let's see you try! If she used her sword, it would've been left behind! If she used her sword as a springboard, how was it not left behind?!

Hinata: She had a way to retrieve her shinai. She used her sword bag... All she'd have had to do is tie the bag's cord around the sword before using it to scale the wall... Then, when she reached the top, she'd just have to pull it up... ...And it'd be like she was never there!

Kuzuryuu: Keh...!

Komaeda: I see... She didn't just use her sword to escape, but also its bag... Owari said she was just like a ninja, but that's such a cheap way of describing her technique... It was a unique stunt possible only for Pekoyama, a Super High School Level Swordswoman who's never without her sword! But still... It's such a shame... If she'd only asked for my cooperation we could probably have come up with a much better plan...

Souda: Gaaaah, keep it to yourself, will you?!

Tsumiki: U-Um... Is it true...? Did... Pekoyama really kill...?

Kuzuryuu: W-Wait a second...! You're just making this all up! Y-You don't have any proof! If there's no proof, I'll never accept it! Do you get it, bastards?!

Pekoyama: ...Enough.

Kuzuryuu: Huh...?

Pekoyama: _Enough_. To keep resisting would be in bad form.

Tanaka: Truly, the cherry blossom among flowers and the samurai among men... At the very least, I'll not deny her gallantry. Very well! This confession brings our proceedings to a close! Let us begin the vote!

Pekoyama: Yes... Let's get it over with.

Nanami: Ah, wait a second. There's something I want to ask first.

Pekoyama: ...Can't it wait until after the vote?

Nanami: But it's important, and very relevant... I want to know about your motive, Pekoyama.

Pekoyama: ...Motive?

Nanami: You don't have anything to do with Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery, do you? So... Why did you kill Koizumi?

Pekoyama: Heh. Is that what this is about...? Very well. Here's what I have to say... I have a noble cause... You see.

Hinata: N-Noble cause?

Pekoyama: It was all for the sake of... Justice. I do not dirty my hands over meaningless personal grudges... I kill for one purpose, and one purpose only... ...For justice!

Nidai: W-What... Are you talking about...?

Pekoyama: Justice is the glorious virtue that sets humanity apart... We all bask in its radiant light. Justice is the everlasting sun... The immortal moon... Our vigilant Father, our kindly Mother...

Mioda: H-Hello...? Peko...? Are you there?

Pekoyama: Should justice disappear from this world... All would be plunged into the cold darkness, joy and laughter gone forever...! I... Must never allow that to happen!

Kuzuryuu: That's enough... Stop it...!

Pekoyama: The light of justice must endure, to guide us on our way!

Kuzuryuu: I-I told you to stop!

Pekoyama: That is why I fight! I fight for justice!

Sonia: I-Is this...?!

Pekoyama: The time has come to don this mask, imbued with the very essence of justice, and lay bare the ugly entrails of evil... Jus * tice * Com * plete! Piercing the very night itself with the shining light of justice's brightest star! Call me Kirakira-chan! Let's conduct some justice, shall we?!

Souda: Wha-wha-wha-wha-wha... WHAT THE HELL?!

Nidai: P-Pekoyama... What are you doing?!

Pekoyama: I am Kirakira-chan... The rightful wielder of the shining light of justice!

Saionji: W-What the heck...? This is getting a little creepy!

Mioda: Abuabuabuabuabu... Peko went totally bonkers...

Sonia: W-Watch out, everyone! Kirakira-chan is a serial killer and a self-proclaimed warrior of justice! A serial killer who wears hero masks from the world over, and kills criminals one after another, and... Wait... Huh?

Owari: A warrior of justice... So that's why she wears a mask!

Pekoyama: Its purpose is to make a distinction. The sun is precious because we cannot reach it... This is true of any form of idol worship. And thus, justice should be the same!

Nidai: I-I don't really follow, but... That's one hell of a thing...!

Monomi: That's one shocking development!

Monokuma: Zzzzz... Zzzzzz...

Monomi: H-Hey! Now's not the time to be sleeping! There's a serial killer here!

Monokuma: Zzzzz... Zzzzz... What, _again_...?

Monomi: Is he speaking in his sleep?!

Nanami: So, how about answering my question? Why did you kill Koizumi?

Pekoyama: The light of justice must reach every corner of this world. We mustn't allow even a single shadow. Let's * Wipe * Evil * Out! The circumstances matter not. We must never avert our eyes from evil!

Saionji: Evil...? Are you talking about big sis Koizumi...?

Komaeda: Oh, I see... You played the game, didn't you?

Pekoyama: The game revealed to me an accomplice to a murder, who managed to hide from justice like a dirty rat.

Nidai: S-So... The reason you killed Koizumi was...

Pekoyama: For justice, of course! For justice... I become a merciless sword! And with that sword, justice was done at last!

Mioda: Oh no! It's like the most cliched of psychopaths just appeared in front of us!

Saionji: Waaaaaaaaaah! This is too creepy!

Hinata: Pekoyama... Is that who you really are?

Pekoyama: Who I really am...? Heh. I have long ago forgotten who I am... Such is my resolve! If one is to protect a single thing of utmost importance, one must be ready to discard everything else! If I can make justice sparkle over this world, I shall become anything at all! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Nidai: Ku... That's more than I can take! Let's end this charade right now!

Hinata: L-Let's look back on today's events... And end this trial!

Act 1: Today's events started this morning, when Koizumi came to visit Saionji. Koizumi must have played Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery, our supposed "motive"... ...And wanted to discuss what she'd seen with the other cast members from the game. Saionji agreed to talk to her, and they decided to meet later in the day. But... There was someone eavesdropping. Our culprit. Having heard their conversation, they schemed to use the girls' plans as a cover to commit murder. First, by making certain preparations, they manipulated the girls' actions.

Act 2: They wrote two fake letters, and sent one each to Koizumi and Saionji. The letter sent to Koizumi told her to come to the beach house at 2:30 PM... But the one sent to Saionji said to come to the house at exactly two o'clock. And so, the culprit separated the two by inviting them to the beach house at different times.

Act 3: Saionji, who was completely deceived by the letter, arrived at the beach house 2 o'clock as instructed. Once there, she was drugged by the culprit, who had been laying in wait. After drugging her, the culprit quickly hid Saionji inside the closet... They were planning to make it look like she was the culprit.

Act 4: Then, at 2:30, Koizumi arrived at the beach house. She had no idea she was the target of a murder plot. She was vulnerable, and the culprit closed in on her from behind, wielding a certain weapon... ...The metal bat that was left at the crime scene. The bat hit Koizumi on the head, and she collapsed... Tsumiki's examination would later tell us she died an instant death. She probably never even saw who it was that killer her.

Act 5: Then, after completing their goal of killing Koizumi, the culprit started preparing the crime scene. First, they moved Koizumi's dead body and left her blocking the tunnel-side door... Then, they also purposefully left behind the mask we found in the room. I'm not sure why they did that... It was probably something like a calling card. That was the reason we found the crime scene in the state it was. But... Having just moved a dead body, the culprit's own body was now dirty with blood. The shower room was under repairs and had no running water, so they couldn't wash their body that way. But they prepared for that. So instead they used an alternate water source... ...Bottled water from the beach house fridge. They probably had them all stashed in the shower room ahead of time for exactly that purpose. The culprit used the bottled water instead of the shower to wash the blood off themselves. However, they had no choice but to throw the empty bottles in the beach house trashcan. Disposing of them outside was against the rules, and there was no time to take them somewhere else. Afterwards, the newly clean culprit hid themselves in the closet where Saionji was sleeping. They hid inside and empty surfboard case they prepared ahead of time.

Act 6: After a short time passed, the effect of Saionji's drug grew weak and she woke up. When she walked out of the closet, she must have been quite shocked. Koizumi, who she was supposed to meet, lay dead in front of her eyes... Saionji acted hastily, both because of the shock and because she must have been afraid of being accused. She ran out of the beach house in a panic. When she did, she left behind footprints in the sand. It was all part of the culprit's plan to set her up. After Saionji was gone, the culprit got up from their surfboard case... In order to further incriminate Saionji, they placed a piece of gummy on the floor, where they knew it would be found... Of course, they hadn't taken Saionji's very particular tastes into account. Then, finally, the culprit prepared to exit the beach house. Exiting through the front door would leave footprints, so that wasn't an option. Instead... The culprit left through the small window in the shower room. However, the window was too far off the ground to easily reach without help, so the culprit was forced to use some unusual means... That being... A certain bamboo sword they were never without. The culprit tied the sword's carrying bag to the sword's hilt... Then, while still holding the bag, they used the sword as a springboard to reach the window. Once they were outside, all they had to to was pull on the bag to retrieve the sword. Then, after leaving the beach house, the culprit appeared before the rest of us with a nonchalant look in their face. But, they didn't have time to dry out their swimsuit and hair. There weren't any towels in the beach house. So the culprit explained their appearance by telling us they had been out for a swim.

Hinata: How about it? That's the full truth behind the murder you committed! Isn't that so, Peko Pekoyama?!

Pekoyama: How * Very * Clever * Of * You... Well, so what of it?!

Owari: She doesn't even care?! I have not the slightest guilt over what I've done!

Saionji: What the heck? You're a filthy murderer who killed big sis Koizumi...!

Pekoyama: YOU'RE WRONG! I simply punished an evildoer in the name of justice! I am in the right! You cannot judge me!

Saionji: I-I've had enough! Let's get to voting, right now! Let's just kill this super weirdo psycho girl!

Pekoyama: I think not. Justice is undying. I am certain you know as much yourselves!

Tanaka: What nonsense is this...?!

Pekoyama: Remember? In order to protect something of utmost importance... One must be ready to discard everything else. Do you get what I'm saying?!

Tsumiki: I-I don't! I don't get anything at all!

Pekoyama: Let me get straight to the point, then. You are about to conduct some justice! In order to make my justice live on, you will all give up your own lives!

Tsumiki: Fuweeeeeeeeeeeeeeh?!

Hinata: A-Are you serious...?!

Pekoyama: I'm _always_ serious about justice! If I die here, now, who will be left to keep control over the world's justice?! Follow the call of justice inside your hearts... Then, save me in the name of justice. Go on! Conduct some justice at once!

Souda: S-Stop fucking with us! You think we're gonna die to save you?!

Mioda: I-If we let Peko go, Ibuki and her pals will all get slaughtered!

Pekoyama: Sometimes, in the magnificent pursuit of justice, some victims are inevitable.

Tsumiki: V-Victims... No...!

Pekoyama: Rest assured, your sacrifices will not be in vain. I shall not waste the justice you entrust me!

Saionji: I can't take any more of this! Let's vote and get her executed, right now!

Sonia: Um... But...B-Before we do that...

Nidai: Monokuma, it's voting time! GET ON WITH IT!

* * *

"She played that a little over the top if you ask me," Tora said. He nudged Enoshima. "Time to wake up babe. They're ready for the vote." Enoshima stirred and rubbed. "Huh? Oh, they solved it? Sorry, I was worn out and decided to take a nap." "Well considering everything we've been through," Genocider said, "But seriously, with how over-the-top Kirakira-chan is, it's not wonder they eventually caught him. That's why I'm the top serial killer in the world and he's not. Seriously, that guy was just way too predictable."

* * *

"Sorry for nodding off like that," Monokuma said, "I was just worn out from building that arcade machine. Exhaustion finally caught up with me. So then, ready to vote are we? Very well, please use the switches in front of you to make your decision." The slot reels spun with their votes, and the machine lit up and spewed out more confetti. They had gotten the right culprit again. "Wait a moment," Sonia said, "There's something that's been bothering me for a while now." "What do you mean?," Nidai said, "Pekoyama is clearly the culprit!"

"I know that," Sonia said, "But I don't believe she is truly Kirakira-chan." Komaeda put a hand to his chin. "Funny, I was having the same exact doubts myself. There's a clear-cut inconsistency between Pekoyama and Kirakira-chan. Earlier during the investigation Sonia had recited Kirakira-chan's catchphrase quite clearly, and it was much different than the one Pekoyama gave." Sonia nodded. "I read all about Kirakira-chan in one of the magazines in the library. There was only one journalist who had ever seen Kirakira-chan in person. At the time, I was translating what the article said for everyone."

"That's right!," Hinata said, "If you had to translate it... Then the article wasn't written in Japanese!" "Yes," Sonia said, "The magazine was in fact written in Spanish! That means Kirakira-chan's lines were in Spanish as well." "That means...," Nidai said, "Kirakira-chan isn't even Japanese?!" "It seems I had the wrong impression from the beginning," Hinata said, "When Kirakira-chan was mentioned as being in the same magazine as Genocider Shou, who is speculated to be a Japanese schoolgirl, and Kira, who was revealed to be a Japanese prosecutor, I immediately assumed Kirakira-chan was Japanese as well."

"What it all boils down to," Komaeda said, "Is that Pekoyama is not Kirakira-chan at all. Unless of course she speaks Spanish." Pekoyama said nothing, but simply removed the mask. "It seems you've found the truth... But it's too late. My role is done. My job as a tool has been completed. The votes have been counted." "A tool..." Hinata said. "I thought as much," Komaeda said, "There had to be someone else who had discovered the body. Earlier I got Monokuma to admit that the culprit could not count as someone who discovered the body. And somehow the body discovery announcement went off shortly after Souda found Koizumi dead in the beach house."

"I was wondering about that," Souda said, "It confused me a little when the announcement went off when I was the only one in the beach house. If we count Saionji as the second person, that means a third person had to have discovered the body before either of us." "Which means," Komaeda said, "That there's the possibility of an accomplice." "Impossible," Nidai said, "The rules say that only the person who commits murder and gets any with it can leave the island. There'd be no benefit for an accomplice, unless they were willing to die in the murderer's stead. And we already know the culprit didn't cooperate with you, the only person who would have that mindset."

"That's incorrect," Pekoyama said, "I am not an accomplice... I am a simple tool in the hands of my user." "But...," Saionji said, "Who would that be? Who else would kill big sis Koizumi over a simple game?!" "It was more than a game," Hinata said, "And there's something that hasn't been mentioned yet. The first person to complete that game was to receive a prize from Monokuma. At the time me and Nanami completed it, that prize had already been given out... And then the person who received it sent it to Koizumi. When we examined her cottage, the prize, a series of photos depicting real life events, was lying on Koizumi's bed, along with a note. The note told her to play the game and how to complete it. It then said it would remind her about what she did..."

"Who was it then who had played the game first?," Tanaka asked. "Who else?," Hinata said, "It had to be Kuzuryuu. The first victim in the game was his sister, remember? And I'm willing to bet he knew all along. I had even seen him the morning after the game was installed holding the envelope the pictures came in." "And that's what I meant before," Pekoyama said, "I am a simple tool for Kuzuryuu. Therefore, I cannot be considered the culprit, even though I was the one who killed Koizumi. You see... I was raised by Kuzuryuu's family, and tasked with being his bodyguard and personal assassin." "So you deliberately made yourself seem more like the culprit so that we'd vote for you," Hinata said, "And we fell for it."

"Did you now?," Monokuma said, "But the slot just now said you had succeeded. Doesn't that mean Pekoyama was wrong in her belief?" "What...?," Pekoyama said. "You consider yourself a tool for Kuzuryuu," Monokuma said, "That much I can understand. However, is that how Kuzuryuu sees you? I think not. The other students will tell you, whenever the subject of his family comes up, he would always say the same thing... That he does not want to rely on their power." Kuzuryuu started crying. "It's true Peko... I never saw you like that. The family said you were meant to be my bodyguard, but relying on you as such would break my vow."

"To tell the truth," Monokuma said, "Kuzuryuu was utterly appalled to find that Pekoyama had killed Koizumi. That's right, he was the first person to discover the body... Just moments after the crime. But of course, he was willing to sacrifice himself for the woman he loves, and yes you are hearing that correctly, and agreed to go along with her plan to frame Saionji. Pekoyama, of course, simply saw this as him using her as she thought he always did, as a simple tool. But no... It was him wanting her to escape, even at the cost of his life. Ironically, she had the exact same thought in mind. Too bad only one of them can be the culprit, and since Pekoyama is the one who actually swung the bat... Well, I think you realize where I'm going with this."

Pekoyama shed a single tear. "I guess... It was all for nothing. To find out how Master Kuzuryuu truly feels... But far too late..." Monokuma chuckled. "Well, it seems this has been a most bittersweet ending. Not that I can't say it wasn't exciting." "You were asleep for half of it!," Monomi yelled. "Details...," Monokuma said, "Regardless, it is now time for the punishment. I have a special one lined up, just for the Super High School Level Swordswoman." He struck the button, causing the chain to grab Pekoyama around the waist and drag her to the execution. Without even thinking, Kuzuryuu ran full speed after her.

**Rambunctious Girl**

Controlled by Monokuma via a straw doll, Peko fought countless enemies until she accidentally injured Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu's right eye. She then allowed the monsters to kill her, perhaps as an act of repentance for thinking she killed the person she was raised to protect since her adoption, while holding Kuzuryuu's body.

"Damn," Monokuma said, "That should not have happened. What was that bastard thinking? I know I said earlier that he loved Pekoyama, but I didn't think he'd go _that_ far. He's lucky to still be alive after all that." The others ran to Kuzuryuu's side. He had been slashed up his right side, causes significant blood loss and taking out his right eye. "We can't have a student who hasn't broken the rules die on us," Monokuma said, "I'll have him sent to the medical facilities on the island at once." The others looked at him, surprised.

"Don't get me wrong," Monokuma said, "It's not like I care or anything. But the rules say that only the culprit will be executed. I can't let anyone else become endangered while the execution is being performed. That's why the culprit is separated from the rest of you upon being found guilty. I can't break the rules I have laid out. I am as much bound to them as you are. That's the price I paid for usurping Monomi's position." He made a gesture, and an emergency ambulance appeared and backed into the trial room. Several Monokuma copies rushed out and carefully placed Kuzuryuu onto a stretcher. They then placed the stretcher inside the ambulance and raced off.

"Until Kuzuryuu can be stabilized," Monokuma said, "He will be exempt from activities announced by me. After all, suffering a debilitating injury is a valid excuse. It's possible we can have him stabilized by morning, but given his current condition I can't say that for sure. Nothing we can do about his eye, unfortunately, but we can certainly fix up the rest of him. Well then, that's all for this trial." And with that, he disappeared, followed shortly by Monomi. The other students couldn't help but hope for Kuzuryuu to recover, even Saionji. With that hope in their hearts, the returned above ground to get some rest after the tiring events of the evening.

* * *

"So...," Pekoyama, "Even after all that, I still wasn't able to bring him back with me." "Unfortunately," Enoshima said, "The rules we placed on the simulator won't allow that. But it's not like we can't get him out. It's just going to take a while." Pekoyama gazed at the ring on her finger that had reappeared after she returned to the real world. She then walked over to Kuzuryuu's unconscious form and kissed him. "Stay strong my love. We'll get you out of there as soon as we can."

To be continued...

**Yes, I did just imply that Kuzuryuu has proposed to Pekoyama. Come on guys, fans of the game at least should have seen this coming.**


	4. Chapter 3: Dead End

**Disclaimer: I don't own Dangan Ronpa or Ace Attorney.**

Chapter 3: Dead End... Or Not

Tora sat in front of the chamber containing the lifeless form of Tsumiki. As he sighed, wondering when she would be free again, a pair of gloved hands quickly covered his eyes. "Guess who?," came an all-too-familiar cheerful voice. "Trucy!," Tora called out as he dislodged his adoptive sister's hands, "Why did you do something like that?" Trucy Wright, a famous stage magician, was Phoenix's adopted daughter and thus was technically Tora's sister. "You know me," Trucy said, "I like to tease my baby brothers. You and Hajime both. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. While you were at Hope's Peak, I learned that Polly is my older brother."

Tora knew Trucy was talking about Apollo Justice, one of the lawyers working under Phoenix at his law firm. "So he and Athena made it out okay too," Tora said, "That's good to know. But I saw the aftermath of Dad's office." "We've been through worse," Trucy said, "It wasn't the first time Polly and Thena got caught in an explosion. Not like the one that took out the III headquarters." Tora winced. "So III is gone now, huh?" Trucy nodded. "Its ten founders, along with several others, were all caught and killed in the explosion. Ironic, I heard L had that place built to last. By the way, why were you staring at that nurse girl? I thought Enoshima is your girlfriend." Tora chuckled. "It's complicated."

* * *

Hinata was still wide awake when the morning announcement came on. The last trial had been brutal. Koizumi was dead, Pekoyama had been executed for her murder, and Kuzuryuu had suffered collateral damage during the execution. Though Monokuma did seem genuinely worried when Kuzuryuu got hurt trying to interfere with Pekoyama's execution, Hinata still wondered if he could be trusted with someone's life. He was starting to regret using the same skills his father had taught him regarding trials. His father... Hinata couldn't remember the man's face, but he did remember that he was a prominent criminal defense attorney.

_'Always find a way to turnabout the situation,'_ Hinata thought, _'But whenever I apply that important skill, I wind up losing a friend. Well... Hopefully I won't have to do it again, at least not on the island.'_ He decided to head for the restaurant, get some breakfast, and reconvene with the others. Then, perhaps they could confront Monokuma together and get him to tell them where Kuzuryuu was. When he got to the restaurant in the hotel, he was surprised to see Saionji there as well. _'That's weird. Saionji never gets up this early.'_ He tapped Saionji on the shoulder, and she practically leapt a foot into the air then whirled around as if to ward off an attacker.

When she saw Hinata, she calmed down. "Sorry about that big bro Hinata. I'm still jumpy after being sedated by Pekoyama. But why are you up this early?" "Couldn't sleep," Hinata said, "Not after what happened with Kuzuryuu." He then noticed some sort of altar on the wall behind Saionji. Someone had taken one of the sandwich boards, taped a series of photos on it, then decorated the area around it with candlesticks, white roses, and animal skulls. The overall image was quite frightening. Then Hinata looked closer and realized the photos were all ones taken by Koizumi, including the photos from the envelope given to Kuzuryuu.

"Wow!," Saionji said, "Look at this cute display! I wonder who could have made this. It sure looks like it took a lot of work. Wherever big sis Koizumi is now, I'm sure she's smiling." The way Saionji was talking made Hinata raise an eyebrow. "Saionji, did you...?" But before he could finish his question, he saw Tsumiki come up into the restaurant. "Oh, Hinata, Saionji. I never expected to see you two together like this. And what is this you're... Looking... At... EEEEK! What is that dreadful thing?!" Hinata facepalmed, since he had a pretty good idea who made it.

Tsumiki's scream soon brought Nidai, Souda, and Owari running up into the restaurant. They too were disturbed by the bizarre altar. "Who on Earth would disgrace Koizumi's memory with such a thing...?," Nidai asked. The look of shock on Saionji's face upon hearing Nidai's words confirmed to Hinata what he already knew. "Guys," he said, "While I can understand how you feel, the thing is that-" But at that moment, Mioda's voice was heard yelling, "What is that thing?! And what horror movie did it burst out of?!"

Hinata sighed as he turned to see Mioda and Sonia standing there behind him. Once again, he tried to explain what was going on, especially since he was seeing Saionji start to tear up. Luckily, just as Nidai was suggesting they burn the altar, Nanami came in. After hearing what was going on, she said, "We can't burn this down. It's meant to be an altar to Koizumi's memory." The others, except Saionji, were shocked to hear this statement. "Are you serious Nanami?," Souda asked, "This is clearly meant to be demeaning." Nanami shook her head. "Not at all. It's just a little clumsy, that's all. I've what this type of altar is supposed to look like, but the items that are normally used can't be found on these islands."

She walked over to altar. "But it's not about what the altar looks like, simply what it's trying to convey. It seems like a lot of work was put into this, and its message is clear. The person who made this is trying to tell Koizumi that she's not alone. Even in death, she'll continue to live on in our hearts. That's the true meaning behind this altar, I'm sure of it." "When you put it like that," Hinata said, "It does feel that way. And to be honest, I'm not surprised, since I'm pretty the one who made it... Is Saionji." Saionji finally broke down. "It's true... I tried my best... Koizumi was the only one who was nice to me... But then... What happened at the beach house..."

Hinata smiled and kneeled down so that his face was on Saionji's level. "Koizumi was a very kind person, wasn't she?" Saionji nodded, tears still streaming down her face. "I thought she might feel lonely up in heaven... So I wanted to send her a message... That she wasn't alone... I was hoping to make something better... But I'm not very good at anything other than dancing... So..." Hearing Saionji's words, several of the others began to tear up as well. After wiping his tears away, Souda said, "Well, when you look at it like that, it is put together pretty well. I guess we could keep it up in Koizumi's memory. Until we get off the island at least."

"We should keep it up longer than that," Sonia suggested, "After all, such beautiful photos shouldn't go to waste." Hearing everyone's praise, Saionji started to cheer up a little. "Thank you, everyone... Now I know big sis Koizumi will be happy." Hinata breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks Nanami, that was almost a disaster." Nanami nodded. "I had a feeling Saionji was the one who made did too, didn't you?" Hinata nodded. "It seemed obvious from the way Saionji pointed it out." Just then, Tanaka entered the restaurant. "Sorry I'm late everyone." He then noticed Saionji's altar and gasped.

"By the seven Hells! What evil mon... Mph!" But before he could say another word, Sonia and Owari quickly muffled him with their hands. "Don't you dare say anything more, Gundam Tanaka! Saionji made this altar specifically to honor Koizumi's memory! I realize it may look evil, but it was simply but together clumsily, that's all." Tanaka covered his face with his scarf as he blushed. "I apologize..." "Oh, is that what it is?," came Komaeda's voice, "And here I though it was another attempt to drive us into despair. Glad to see it's the opposite. Though it could use some polish. As it looks now, it doesn't fit in very well in a hope-filled environment."

At that statement, Hinata slugged Komaeda in the back of the head. "Shut up, Komaeda. No one asked for your opinion." That caused the rest of the group to laugh, with Saionji laughing hardest of all. After that the group had breakfast, though it was clear most of them where still worried about Kuzuryuu. Owari even suggested giving Monokuma a good beating to teach him a lesson, which Nidai was firmly against. In the middle of the conversation, Monomi showed up again, saying that yet another Monobeast was destroyed, meaning there was another island to explore. She then vanished shortly afterward.

"I'm telling you guys," Souda said, "She's got to be working with Monokuma. Heck, she's the one who brought us here, so she's likely involved with those World Destroyers." "Whether she is or not isn't important right now," Nanami said, "We have a new island to explore, so we should see if there's a way to leave from there." Sure enough, the bridge to the third island was clear, and beyond it was something Hinata didn't expect. Scattered across a tall mountain were several rows of private residences, likely used by locals when they weren't busy with the rest of the resort. Of course, right now they were all deserted.

One of the first buildings the group spotted was a small hospital. Tsumiki was grateful to finally be in her element, but even she was slightly disturbed by the lack of staff or patients. She nonetheless decided to stay there for a bit to check if the medical equipment was usable. The next building was a music club, dubiously named the "Titty Typhoon". Still, the music club seemed legit, and got Mioda so excited she actually repeated herself several times when speaking. Hinata also spotted a small motel. Saionji was standing in front of it, and apparently Owari was checking around inside.

One area that stood out on the island was a small alley with a bunch of electronic stores, selling all kinds of TVs, computers, cellphones, and game systems. There was even a store selling spy gear, like wiretaps and surveillance equipment. Souda looked ecstatic to check out all the equipment, but he was also upset that he wouldn't have the time to. Nanami was busy rummaging through the junk to see if she could find something to take back to her cottage. Hinata sighed, not sure if he was okay with playing video games again after Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery, and the aftermath it caused.

Noticing that some of the computers on display still had power, Hinata turned one on and tried to connect to the internet. However, there wasn't enough of a signal to get through. Just as he was about to turn the computer off, he noticed a file with Monomi's face on it, labeled "Usami X File". Curious, Hinata clicked on it. It contained a report on something called "The World's Most Despair-Inducing Incident". According to the file, it had been started by students at a school called Hope's Peak Prep, apparently a reserve course meant to help Hope's Peak Academy attain more funding, when the students of the prep school became increasingly discontent with what they perceived as discriminatory treatment on the part of the main school.

At first it was simply a heated dispute but soon enough it escalated into a full-blown all-out armed assault. Negotiations began after the original complaint, and at first it seemed to be going well. However, a suspected third party riled up the students, causing grand-scale riots that began to spread like a contagion, first in Japan, then across the world. The true nature of the riots was unknown, as it didn't fit the normal patterns of a coup de-tate or terrorist action. What is known is that by the time things started to wind down, roughly half the total human population was wiped out by the riots.

The academy then shut down, and the surviving students were forced into a game where they would have to kill each other, the instigator of the game planning on making them "examples of despair". However, apparently the plan had failed, and all seventeen students trapped within the school managed to escape after killing their captor in self-defense. The bad news was the headmaster of the academy had already been killed by that time. _'Hope's Peak Prep?,'_ Hinata thought to himself, _'That name sounds familiar... Regardless, it's good to know the students that were trapped in the academy got out safely, unlike our situation on this island. But if the instigator of the game at the academy is dead, who created the game on the island?'_

The last building was a movie theater, where Monokuma was offering free screenings of a movie of his creation. Even though Monokuma was offering free tickets, and even said that watching the movie was mandatory, Hinata instead opted for buying one of Monokuma's stickers instead, thinking the movie was another motive just like the Twilight Syndrome game. Monokuma seemed a little disappointed by that, but Hinata didn't care. As Hinata was about to leave, Komaeda came bursting out the door of the theater proper with a heavy sigh.

"Ah, Komaeda," Monokuma said, "May I have my questionnaire back?" Komaeda sighed again. "That was the most boring thing I've ever seen. It actually felt like torture. The last few minutes felt like weeks." "Let me guess," Hinata said, "It has nothing to do with our next motive." Komaeda nodded. "I was pretty sure that's what it was going to be, so I thought I could beat whoever the next murderer would be to the punch this time. But man, that was the worst movie I've ever laid eyes on, and I've seen 'The Room'." Hinata chuckled. "That bad, huh? Guess I made the right choice after all." He showed Komaeda the sticker, causing him to facepalm.

As the two of them left the theater, they were met by Sonia. "Hinata, Komaeda. Tsumiki just made an important discovery at the hospital." When they got to the hospital, they found Tsumiki standing in front of one of the patient rooms. "You guys have got to see this." And with that, she opened the door. When Hinata saw what was inside, he let out a surprised gasp. Lying there in the bed, bandages covering his right eye and arm, was Kuzuryuu. When Kuzuryuu saw Hinata's reaction, he grinned weakly. "What's up guys? You look like you've seen a ghost." There was a general sigh of relief at seeing Kuzuryuu still alive.

"We were all concerned you had passed on," Nidai said. Kuzuryuu chuckled. "Come on now. You really think Peko would off me, even on accident? Especially knowing the two of us better now." At the sound of Pekoyama's name, a small tear slid down Kuzuryuu's cheek. "I was stupid. The sight of my sister in that photo... When I showed it to Peko, she did the same thing she did during that game. She tracked down the one she thought was responsible and... Dealt with her. I knew it was a mistake to try an action like that. We didn't have the luxury of the family covering up the incident on this island. When I saw that Peko really had gone and killed Koizumi..."

He started tearing up again. "I panicked. Then I realized maybe I could use this as a means of getting Peko of this damn island. That's why I tried to refute it when Hinata was fingering Peko as the killer, I thought it might draw suspicion to me. I had no idea... That Peko was more worried for my safety..." Tsumiki walked over to Hinata with a medical chart. "I got Monokuma's permission to look at this. It seems there are a lot of lacerations and puncture wounds on his body, but they're all surprisingly light. No damage to his internal organs or nerves or even bones. It's a miracle he survived after all that."

"Maybe not," Nanami said, "He had to have gotten those injuries from when he tried to interfere with Pekoyama's execution, right? I think it's likely she was shielding him from all those blades with her own body." Kuzuryuu started tearing up again, even as he smiled. "She always was looking out for me, no matter what was happening. Even as I lost consciousness, I could still tell she was there, doing what she felt was her purpose." He rolled over in his bed, likely to hide his tears, and didn't say another word. "We should give him time to rest," Tsumiki said, "His wounds aren't completely healed yet. Don't worry, I'll stay and take care of him. I am a medical worker after all." Relieved to find out Kuzuryuu was all right, the others went back to their cottages to call it a day.

* * *

"How's Pekoyama doing?," Hanamura said as he brought out lunch. "She's been practicing nonstop since she got out," Kuwata replied, "Only pausing to eat and rest. With Kuzuryuu still stuck in that simulation, it's been hard on her. Can't blame her, really. By the way, who's screenplay was that? The one that was made for the upcoming mystery? 'Cause it looked terrible." Hanamura gave a cough and pointed behind Kuwata. Athena Cykes, one of Phoenix's associates, was standing there, her foot tapping angrily on the ground. Kuwata chuckled nervously.

* * *

The next morning, everyone was feeling a lot more cheerful with the knowledge that Kuzuryuu was alright. Since they didn't have a chance the previous day, they shared what little knowledge they had found. Then, to everyone's surprise, Kuzuryuu actually came in to join them, once again dressed normally and now wearing a eyepatch over his right eye. "Oh, sorry about this," Tsumiki said, "Strictly speaking, he still shouldn't be out of the hospital, but he insisted he had to speak with everyone." What followed was a lengthy apology about what had happened during the last incident.

At first Saionji didn't seem to buy it, until Kuzuryuu did the unthinkable and wound up reopening his wounds. That action left Saionji speechless, and had Tsumiki, Nidai, and Souda rushing Kuzuryuu back to the hospital. Once they were gone, Saionji sat down and looked toward the altar she had made. Hinata noted a tear was running down her face. Hinata knew that Saionji was thinking about Koizumi, and what she would say to Saionji in this situation. Komaeda then noticed something. "Hey, where's Owari? It's not like her to miss breakfast."

Everyone else looked around and realized he was right. "This isn't like Owari," Nanami said, "I'm a little worried." Hinata was still worried, about both Owari and Saionji, that evening. Suddenly, the doorbell to his cottage rang. When he opened the door, Mioda was there to greet him. "Nice to have met you!," Mioda said, "Ibuki has special invitations for everyone!" She handed Hinata a card inviting him to the music club and 9:00 that evening. Mioda then rushed off. When Hinata read the card, he noted that it had something to do with a welcome back party for Kuzuryuu.

Sure enough, when Hinata got to the music club, most of the group was there, including Kuzuryuu. "You feeling okay?," Hinata asked him. Kuzuryuu nodded. "I'll be fine. Trust me, I've had a lot worse." Hinata nodded, but could still see the look of worry on Tsumiki's face nearby. "Guess everyone is here," Nanami said, "Except for Saionji, and Owari." Nidai grumbled as he dug his finger into his ear. "What is that damn woman up to now? I hope for her sake it's nothing reckless." At that moment, the stage light came up, and Mioda walked onstage holding an electric guitar.

Hinata chuckled as he realized what Mioda was planning. _'I should have known. You get a music club, throw in a Super High School Level Musician, and there are only so many results.'_ "Thanks for coming everyone!," Mioda said through the microphone, "Tonight, Ibuki will sing her heart out to lift everyone's spirits! Let's start with Ibuki's latest single 'Let My Feelings Reach You Too!'" _'Ibuki's girl group was set to take the world by storm,'_ Hinata thought, _'Until she split from the group. Still, this may not be so bad.'_ However, what followed was not the soothing love song everyone expected, but a vicious death metal ballad.

When she was finished, there was a general chill from her audience. "Come to think of it," Hinata whispered, "What was the reason Mioda broke up with her band again?" "Creative differences... I think," Nanami replied. Just then, Saionji's voice was heard saying, "That was amazing! I've never heard such a great song in my life!" The others turned in surprise to see her standing behind them. "What's with the surprised looks?," Saionji said, "I was invited after all, so it shouldn't be so strange that I'd show up." Hinata and Nanami smiled at each other. "Don't get the wrong idea," Saionji said, "I still don't trust Kuzuryuu. He is Yakuza after all. But we're all in the same boat on this island, so I am ready to start working with him."

_'I can't help but feel things are looking up,'_ Hinata thought, _'Saionji and Kuzuryuu are making an effort to change. That's great. I can definitely see a brighter future.'_ But just as the party was ready to move on, Monomi showed up looking all flustered. "Everyone, it's terrible! The beach! Owari is there, and she's just challenged Monokuma to a fight!" "WHAT?!," Nidai yelled, and he was out of the music club in an instant. The others were quick to race after him. Sure enough, Owari and Monokuma were there, and from the look of things they were already in the middle of their fight. Owari, though out of breath, seemed to be holding her own.

When Monokuma noticed the others, he seemed to grin evilly, then from almost nowhere pulled out a rocket launcher. He aimed straight at Owari and pulled the trigger, but Nidai quickly stepped in front of her and took the brunt of the explosion. What everyone saw next was heart-breaking. Owari was cradling Nidai, now covered in his own blood, in her lap. "Why...?," Owari said, "Why did you do that?" Nidai smiled. "It's the job of a coach to look after his trainees. Besides... I care for you too much to see you get killed." Owari starting tearing before screaming in frustration at the situation. "Hoo boy," Monokuma said, "Here we go again."

And with that, he summoned the same ambulance from before. "Guess Nidai's gonna miss the fun I have planned," Monokuma said, "He's in pretty bad shape. But don't worry, I should have him stabilized within a few hours. He won't be getting out the hospital any time soon, though." And with that, he was gone. "Damn," Kuzuryuu said, "I finally manage to drag my sorry ass out of that clinic, and now someone else goes in. What's next, another murder?" "Don't jinx it," Souda said, "The last thing we need is someone dying for real after all this." Silently, the group decided to return to the hotel and get some rest.

* * *

"Well that was overkill," Enoshima said to Fujisaki, "You setting up for something?" Fujisaki nodded. "It was meant to get Owari back as quick as possible, but I guess I should have realized just how much Nidai cares for her. Still, I think it's time for our next caper. The program's installed, and our rogue AI is none the wiser. With this, we can talk to some of our friends again. It won't work for everyone, but it'll work for enough that we can set things up." Enoshima looked over to Tsumiki, still hooked up to the machine. _'Hang in there girl. We'll have you out soon enough.'_

* * *

When Hinata got to the restaurant the next morning, something strange had happened. Owari was acting like a total crybaby, Mioda seemed to have lost her sense of humor, and Komaeda was telling blatant lies. "What the hell's going on?," Hinata asked. "They've been like this all morning," Saionji said, "All three of them. At first I thought Komaeda was being his usual self, until he said he saw big sis Koizumi alive at the music club. I took steps out the hotel door when I remembered that I had seen her corpse with my own two eyes in the beach house."

Hinata scratched his head. "What's going on?" Tsumiki suddenly had a bad feeling and touched each of their foreheads. "They have a fever. And a very bad one from the feel of it." "A fever?," Saionji said, "Are you serious?" Tsumiki nodded. "All three of them are given off way too much heat for a normal human body." Hinata checked for himself and saw that Tsumiki was right. At that moment, Monokuma showed up, leading everyone else into the restaurant. "Well, I see some of you have already discovered my latest motive."

"Then this is your doing?," Hinata said angrily, "What did you do to them?" "Just a moment," Monokuma said, "I'd first like to confirm that Nidai has been stabilized, but is in no condition to attend this latest mystery. His wounds were far more grievous than Kuzuryuu's after all. As for your friends, they've caught an interesting little disease, which I like to call 'Despair Fever'! You see, living on this island are tiny bugs, so small they can't be seen with the human eye. When these bugs bite people, some of them become infected with this terrible disease."

"I've never heard of such a disease," Tsumiki said. "That's because it's unique to this island," Monokuma said, "There have been cases like it happening in the past. The locals eventually developed a tolerance to it, but began developing a cure when the island was made into a resort. Any tourist that comes down with this disease is cured before they leave, and considering how embarrassing the symptoms can be sometimes, it's no wonder they never speak of it. The main symptom is what you'd expect from something with the word 'fever' in its name, a high fever that usually goes down several hours after infection."

"And the bad news?," Tanaka asked. "The secondary symptoms that accompany this fever," Monokuma said, "Tend to be more long-lasting. It's impossible to list them all, since they vary from person to person. For example, Komaeda, who's always been subtle with his scheming, has become a blatant liar. Owari, who normally has an indomitable spirit, has been reduced to a whimpering crybaby. And Mioda, normally the most spastic person you'll ever see, has become so serious she can't even tell the difference between truth and sarcasm."

"That's terrible," Kuzuryuu said, "So why haven't the rest of us caught it?" Monokuma shrugged. "Not everyone who comes to this island gets infected. The insects can't dwell everywhere after all. I did release one of the insects into each of your cottages last night, but the reason only three of you caught the despair fever can have a number of explanations. Some of the insects may have simply decided not to bite, some of you may simply be immune. Don't relax yet, though. This disease can be transmitted from person to person by air."

"So that's your plan this time?," Nanami said, "Waiting for our symptoms to drive us to murder?" "I think it's refreshing when a change in personality is introduced in a murder mystery," Monokuma said, "I can't wait to see the murder tricks that come out of this one! Oh, and before I forget... The moment one of you _does_ commit murder, I'll have the fever cured personally. After all, once we have our mystery, there'll be no more need of the despair fever." Just then, Komaeda wound up dropping to the floor. "Uh oh," Monokuma said, "Looks like Komaeda caught an allergic reaction. Well, I'm sure you guys were going to take him and the others to the hospital anyway, so I'll leave you to it."

Moments later, Tsumiki had rushed Komaeda, Mioda, and Owari into the patient rooms. "Shit," Kuzuryuu said, "Now what? This disease is supposed to be contagious, so all we have to do is quarantine them, but..." "If that's the case," Hinata said, "Than I should probably stay here away from the rest of the group. I already touched the three of them to confirm they had a fever." "All right then," Souda said, "First thing, we need to make sure none of those damn insects infect the rest of us." "There should be some bug repellent in the supermarket," Nanami said, "We'll also need a means of contacting the hospital. I remember seeing some surveillance equipment in a store along the Electric Alley."

"That equipment is short range," Souda said, "And the hotel is too far away to use them. Besides, if this an airborne disease the hotel is probably contaminated anyway." "Why not use the motel a few yards away from the hospital then?," Kuzuryuu suggested, "There's more than enough room for all you guys. And if the worst should happen, you can get back here fast." "Um," Saionji said, "Don't you mean, all 'us' guys?" Kuzuryuu shook his head. "Tsumiki's gonna need more help than just Hinata to take care of three people. Someone else should stay behind as well, so I'm volunteering."

The others headed out, leaving Kuzuryuu and Hinata alone in the hospital lobby. "You really planning on suffering through this?," Hinata asked. "My life is cheap," Kuzuryuu said, "Without Peko, I got nothing to lose. Hell, the fact that I'm still alive even now is a miracle." When Tsumiki returned, she was surprised to see everyone other than Hinata and Kuzuryuu gone. They explained to her about the quarantine situation, which she seemed to understand, though was still visibly upset. Later that evening, Hinata woke up to find himself in one of the hospital beds. For some reason, he was finding it hard to breath.

The reason soon became obvious when he saw Tsumiki sleeping almost on top of him, her breasts pressing up against his face. "Tsumiki... I... I can't breath...!," Hinata said, but Tsumiki was in her own little world. She giggled as she said, "Tora... Don't tickle me like that... It's so embarrassing..." She opened her eyes a little, then they shot open when she saw Hinata. "H-Hinata?! Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!" She quickly got up off Hinata, allowing him to breathe again. "Phew, I'm okay now. Tsumiki, why were on top of me like that?" "I'm sorry," Tsumiki said, "I thought I'd get a little rest after taking care of the patients. I didn't realize you were in the same bed until just now."

Hinata smiled and shrugged. "Well, I'm all right, so no harm no foul I guess. By the way, who's Tora?" Tsumiki realized she must have been talking in her sleep. "Oh, Tora's my boyfriend. I met him in high school before coming to Hope's Peak. Oh dear, I hope he's still alright. If Monokuma was telling the truth about the World Destroyers..." Just then, Kuzuryuu, alerted by Tsumiki's screams, burst into the room. "Hey, what's going on in here?" He saw the two of them together on the bed and said, "On second thought, I won't ask. Oh yeah, I was looking for you anyway, Tsumiki. Something's wrong with Komaeda! I think he may be getting worse! I peaked into his room a moment ago, and it didn't look like he was breathing!"

Hearing that, Tsumiki immediately raced out of the room to check on Komaeda, Kuzuryuu and Hinata quickly following. Sure enough, Komaeda was blue in the face, Tsumiki scrambling to administer first-aid. "He's not dead... Right?," Hinata said, worried for Komaeda. "We'd have heard a body discovery announcement if he was," Kuzuryuu replied, "After all, there are three people here. Come to think about it, would dying of natural causes count? 'Cause even from the start I thought that suicide might be possible during this game, but what about death from disease? Hell, I didn't even think we _could_ get sick."

Hinata put a hand to his chin. "I couldn't say. But regardless, we should leave Tsumiki to her work." Kuzuryuu nodded. "There was a delivery to the lobby we should check out anyway. I was gonna tell you sooner, but I happened to peak in on Komaeda, and... Well, you know." Kuzuryuu led Hinata to the lobby, where a small surveillance camera and monitor could be seen on the reception counter. A blue light could be seen flashing on the monitor. "Ah, good," Kuzuryuu said, "We're right on time." He pushed the button under the light, and Souda's face appeared on the monitor.

'Hey, Hinata, Kuzuryuu,' Souda said, 'Great. Looks like the connections working. Pretty cool right? This camera and monitor set was meant for home security stuff. But I tinkered with 'em a bit, and bingo. Instant communication.' Hinata nodded. "Can't say I'm surprised. You are the Super High School Level Mechanic after all. Good job Souda." Souda nodded, then cut the feed. "This camera is meant to use a wireless signal," Kuzuryuu said, "Whatever it shoots will get displayed on the monitor the other guys got back at the music club."

"The music club?," Hinata asked, "Why not the motel?" "Well these things were meant for home use," Kuzuryuu said, "Souda _was_ able to boost the signal, but not enough to reach the motel. So they placed the equipment on their end in the music club, since it's closer. Because of that, we had to set up a system of communication. Every morning and evening, about 30 minutes after Monokuma's announcement, we'll use the monitor to communicate with the other group." Hinata chuckled. "From Yakuza heir to quarantine chief. I guess with an upbringing like yours, you learn to take command in any situation."

"You got it," Kuzuryuu said, "Oh, one other thing. The rules on that board there say that sleeping in the hospital is prohibited to anyone except hospital staff and patients, so it looks like you and me are gonna have to hoof it back to the hotel." Just then, the announcement for night time came in. "Guess we should get some sleep then," Hinata said, "Or at least try to. With all this despair fever business, I have a feeling it'll be a long night."

* * *

Apollo couldn't help but laugh at the situation that went on in the simulation between Hinata and Tsumiki. "Don't laugh," Tora said, "That's happened to me on more than occasion. Any physical activity that doesn't involve medical work tends to wear Tsumiki out quickly." "You have to admit though," Enoshima said, "She had been getting better over the last two years." Gumshoe chuckled. "For high school students, you kids sure matured quickly." "We were stuck in our own high school for a year while the world got put in a handbasket ready to be shipped to Hell," Tora said, "What did you expect?"

* * *

The next morning, Komaeda's condition didn't seem to be getting better, but that just left Tsumiki all the more determined to help him. To make matters worse, Saionji had apparently shut herself in her motel room and refused to come out until the despair fever was gone. "Damn," Kuzuryuu said, "Problems on both ends. This is a situation my pop would call a 'firework flame'. Rocket's all filled up with gunpowder near an open flame, and you just know that sooner or later, that rocket's gonna go flying." "It does seem like we're in the middle of a powder keg waiting for a match," Hinata said, "But all we can do is wait."

Nighttime fell again, and Hinata recommended that Tsumiki get some rest. However, she was still determined to at least stabilize Komaeda. After checking in with the motel group, Hinata decided to get some sleep. But his dream that night was a fitful one. He was in a classroom, and all the students in there with him couldn't be made out, like they were all blank slates. Hinata simply sat there at his desk, not talking with any of them, not looking at any of them. Simply sitting there, by himself, trying to focus on some subject he couldn't even make out. The others were talking about him, about his decision to enroll in Hope's Peak Prep School. He still wasn't sure why he was having that dream. Or why they referred to him as, Wright...

* * *

"Hajime Wright," Tora said, "My older brother. Around the same time I went to Germany to study law, Hajime went to Japan to do the same. At the time our father, Phoenix, was still disbarred. Even after I learned of his reinstatement as a criminal defense attorney, I continued my studies, now with the goal of continuing his legacy." "And in doing so," Makoto said, "You broke the record for youngest person to pass the bar exam." Tora smiled. "At ten years old. Dad couldn't have been more proud. He worked hard to remove the Dark Age of Law, and now he's working even harder to remove The World's Most Despair Inducing Incident." He looked at the monitor. "Oh, it looks our next mystery is ready."

* * *

The next morning, Hinata was again nearly suffocated by Tsumiki's form on top of him. As he tried to wake her up, she muttered, "Enoshima... That feels nice... Please... More..." She opened her eyes a little, and it was a repeat of last time. "Not again!," Tsumiki cried out, "I am so sorry, Hinata!" Once Hinata got his breath back, he said, "You talk in your sleep a lot. Who's Enoshima?" Tsumiki blushed before saying, "Well, some time before I met Tora, I was a little... Bi-curious... And around that time I had met Enoshima. She was the first person to ever be nice to me, and... Well..."

"Don't worry," Hinata said, "I'm not one to judge." Tsumiki breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, I almost forgot. I was going to tell you, Komaeda's finally out of risk. It took almost all night, but I was able to stabilize his condition." Hinata chuckled. "That explains why you wound up sleeping on top of me again." Komaeda did seem better than before, and his fever had gone down. However, the other symptoms still persisted, and he was lying even worse than before. Hinata then noticed that Tsumiki was looking a little dizzy. "You should get some rest Tsumiki. You don't look like you've slept in days."

Tsumiki nodded, then headed out. Hinata decided to head back for the lobby. When he got there, he was surprised to see the light on the monitor going off. _'That's weird. We haven't even had the morning announcement yet.'_ Thinking it might be some sort of emergency, he pressed the button. What he saw next chilled him. A stepladder stood in front of a drawn stage curtain, positioned underneath a noose. A woman in a hospital gown, Hinata couldn't tell who because of the bag over her head, came into view and started climbing the ladder. Suddenly realizing what must be happening, Hinata tried yelling into the camera. When the woman didn't respond, Hinata rushed out of the hospital and towards the music club.

But by the time he got to the music club, it was too late. The woman was already hanging from the noose. From the hair now dangling beneath the bag, Hinata realized it was Mioda. The music club was unusually hot, and Hinata was left dumbstruck as to how he could be so late when the music club was only a few feet from the hospital. Since he was the only person so far to discover the body, there wasn't any sort of announcement, meaning Hinata had to go and inform the others. He ran to the motel first, since it was closer.

Yelling for help at the top of his lungs, he got at least Tanaka and Nanami to come out. "Another body...?," Nanami said, completely shocked. "So it was only a matter of time," Tanaka, "I'll stay here and alert the others. Nanami, you'd better go with Hinata to confirm the body." As Nanami and Hinata hurried out the motel parking lot, they ran into Kuzuryuu and Tsumiki. "What are you guys doing here?," Nanami asked. "We're looking for Mioda," Kuzuryuu said, "She disappeared from the hospital." Hinata gulped. "I know where she is..." He led them to the music club.

He tried the door, but for some reason found it stuck. "What the hell?," Hinata said, "It wasn't locked when I checked here earlier." "Is there another way in?," Tsumiki asked. "Just the one I'm afraid," Nanami said, "And no windows either." Kuzuryuu growled. "Dammit, we ain't got time for this! We'll just have to bust the door down!" He counted to four, then on his signal, they charged into the door with all their strength. After only two tries, the door gave way. However, inside they found more than just Mioda's body. Strapped to a nearby column on the stage with packing tape, was Saionji's limp body, blood streaming from her neck.

* * *

Back in the real world, Saionji was busy hugging Fujisaki, while Mioda had settled on Kuwata's lap. "Man," Mioda said, "That wasn't exactly fun, but Ibuki is sure glad it's over. You got off easy Hiyoko. Kinda like ripping off a band-aid." Saionji giggled. "Yeah. I gotta say I'm impressed. I didn't think she's go through with it." "Well then," Koizumi said, "Maybe you'll stop teasing her so much from now on." Saionji nodding. "You bet big sis Koizumi. And... It's great to be able to see you again." Koizumi smiled. "Same here Saionji." "Aww," Mioda said, "Friendship time."

* * *

'A body has been discovered. A school trial will commence after a short period of time. Make the most of it to discover who killed the victim.' The body discovery announcement went off quickly, then came another announcement. 'A second body had been discovered. The investigation period will be extended. Please note that no further victims will be permitted.' Hinata was in a state of shock. "This can't be... I was just here not ten minutes ago, and Saionji's body wasn't here." Kuzuryuu found the light control and started lowering the hanging body. When it was low enough, Nanami pulled the bag off, confirming it was Mioda.

Hinata paused a second, then said, "You can come out now, Monokuma. We know you're watching." Sure enough, Monokuma popped up yet again. "I was wondering how long it would take. Honestly I'm impressed you've gone this long without a murder." It wasn't before the rest of the motel group, alerted by the announcement, arrived at the crime scene. Needless to say, they were shocked at there being two bodies. "Well," Monokuma said, "That just leaves our last two living students." He gave a motion, and Komaeda and Owari entered the music club. "As promised," Monokuma said, "I've cured them of the despair fever. It's served it's purpose, after all."

Komaeda looked at the crime scene and sighed. "Another murder, and yet again I'm left out of commission." Hinata scoffed. "Shut up, Komaeda. Just... Shut up." "Now, now," Monokuma said, "You all have an important assignment. First off, as the announcement stated, there won't be a third victim. While the concept of serial killing is appealing, I need to set a limit so that someone can still be left behind to investigate. Seems someone took advantage of the fact that up to two victims can be permitted, and killed Ibuki Mioda and Hiyoko Saionji. I'm sure you know what follows, so here's your next Monokuma File."

Kuzuryuu looked like he was reliving the incident between Pekoyama and Koizumi, but he quickly shook himself out of it. "Well, nothing for it. We've got no choice but to find out who killed these two." "What about Nidai?," Owari asked. "Since he's still hospitalized by Monokuma," Hinata said, "It's likely he'll be exempt from participating in the investigation. Monokuma did say that debilitating injury was a valid excuse. In any case, let's get started." Owari agreed to stand guard over the crime scene while Tsumiki did her usual autopsy work. The others began their investigation, learning the following facts:

-According to the Monokuma File, Mioda's cause of death was strangulation. No other visible wounds on her body. Saionji died due to hemorrhagic shock after her throat was cut with a sharp instrument. Death in both cases was instantaneous. However, there was no time of death for either of them, which seemed odd to Hinata. However, from the video he saw, it seemed obvious that Mioda had died before Saionji.

-When examining Mioda's body, Hinata noticed blood on her slippers. Since she had suffered no wounds other than being strangled, that meant the blood had to belong to someone else.

-When examining Saionji's body, Hinata was surprised to find her obi was put on backwards. Also, her motel key was found deep inside her kimono. Komaeda noted that since it was so hard to reach due to all the packing tape holding her up to the pillar, it had been on since before her death. Additionally, Komaeda pointed out that the fatal wound on Saionji was bound with more packing tape, which acted like a bandage.

-The rope that Mioda was hanging from was now lying next to her body. Komaeda seemed interested in it for some reason, even though it's role in the mystery seemed straightforward. Tsumiki even confirmed that Mioda had indeed been hung. The tote bag that was over her head was also nearby.

-A large candle was sitting on the edge of the stage. Hinata remembered that the image on the monitor was dimly lit, which likely meant the candle was used. Even though it was large enough to provide the amount of light Hinata saw, it seemed strange as the club had plenty of stronger lights.

-The stepladder that Mioda had supposedly used to climb to the noose had blood on its left side, likely Saionji's.

-Tanaka had noticed a piece of black paper stuck to the lightning rig above where Saionji's body was. After having one of his hamsters get it down, he noted how thick it was compared to normal paper.

-Hinata soon found the air conditioner, and noted that it was set to 30 degrees Celsius, explaining the uncomfortable heat.

-Hanging from the back of the stage was a black curtain that didn't quite reach all the way across. Upon closer examination, it was revealed to have come from the supermarket.

-A faint bloodstain could be seen not far from Saionji's body. It had signs that the culprit had tried to clean it up, which seemed odd considering the source of the blood was obvious.

-The broken remains of the camera set were found a few feet from the stage. It seemed likely that it was the culprit who broke it, yet that left Hinata wondering where the video he had seen came from.

-Kuzuryuu spotted a broken drumstick not far from the door, which meant the door hadn't been locked but simply barred. In addition, Nanami found some sort of strange lump stuck to the edges of both doors.

-According to Tsumiki, she had first noticed Mioda was missing after she and Hinata parted, before he went down to the lobby. She had immediately rushed out to find Mioda, and eventually ran into Kuzuryuu into front of the hospital, likely after Hinata had already left it.

-Inside the storage room, one of the rolls of wallpaper seemed to be unfurled and a corner was ripped off. It also seemed to be covered in stickers showing the club's logo, which seemed to come from the pile of stickers on a nearby chair.

-Tsumiki noted the murders seemed to be done in a copycat style to the movie Monokuma was showing at the theater, though it was done imperfectly due to the two victim limit. Curious, Hinata went back to the movie theater. Monokuma was surprised to find that Hinata wanted to watch the movie after all, but gave him a ticket nonetheless. The ticket was meant to be used on the date it was issued, and was good for only one screening.

-Hinata noticed that the tote bag on sale on the counter was gone. Monokuma admitted that it was the culprit who bought it, but obviously he couldn't say who the culprit was. He did, however, mention that it was a buy one, get one free deal, meaning there was an identical tote bag.

-The movie being shown, called "The Wizard of Monomi" was as bad as Komaeda said it was. However, it also showed what Tsumiki meant by it being a partial copycat murder. In it, Monokuma played the main character, and in a perversion of "The Wizard of Oz", he convinced the scarecrow to hang himself due to lacking a brain, pinned the lion to a tree with arrows due to being too cowardly, and broke the tinman down for scrap due to lacking a heart.

-Souda explained that since each set of monitor and camera comes with unique IDs, it would be impossible for a third set to be used by the culprit to spy on the group in either the motel or the hospital. He had switched the cameras for both sets and boosted the signal so that the camera in the hospital would broadcast to the music club, and the camera in the music club would broadcast to the hospital. Hinata explained what he had seen on the monitor, and noted that he didn't know who had been climbing the stepladder in the video until he got to the music club.

-Owari, having never had to go to a hospital before, had found the gowns there surprisingly comfy. She had hoped to grab a spare one, but there were none left. Since each room was assigned a different gown, that meant there should be four gowns, one for each patient room. Mioda had died in hers and was still wearing it, and both Komaeda's and Owari's were now in the laundry. That meant the last gown was missing.

-When Hinata went to check the hospital's conference room, at first it was pitch black. Then Nanami, who was also in the room, pulled back a black curtain that was apparently light resistant, a necessary feature in a room that used a projector. Hinata noted the curtain reached all the way down to the floor.

-Hinata was able to use the key in Saionji's kimono to open one of the rooms in the motel, confirming it was hers. He found Sonia, and after some talking, she revealed the reason Saionji wouldn't come out of her room had nothing to do with the despair fever. In fact, Saionji had decided to take a shower, but afterwards had trouble retying her obi, even after Koizumi had showed her how. So Sonia suggested tying it in front of a mirror, and pointed out the full length mirror in the music club's storage room. She hadn't told anyone else this, and there was no chance that anyone was eavesdropping.

After confirming that it was impossible for the culprit to have forcibly kidnapped Saionji, Hinata finished his investigation in time for the announcement of the class trial. Inside the trial room, Monokuma explained that Nidai was still in no condition to participate in the trial, and thus would not be joining them. And with that, the students took their places to begin the trial.

* * *

"So what did it feel like?," Sayaka asked Mioda, "Being strangled like that." Mioda scratcher her head. "It was really painful, but it only lasted, like, three seconds. But man, did it feel like an eternity to Ibuki. Next time Ibuki gets to choose her manner of death in a virtual simulation, I'm picking something else." "Let's not talk about that right now," Ooshida said as she passed out the popcorn, "It's time for the real fun to begin. Seriously, is everyone in Tora's family good at mysteries?" Iris, Tora's mother, raised her hand in embarrassment. "I'm always the sort of person who has to look up the answers."

* * *

Monokuma: ...Well, I guess we don't need to sweat the small details - either way, let us quickly being the trial!

Komaeda: It's good that we are starting now, but... I still haven't got a clear grip on this case, you see. I just slept most of the time.

Souda: What good will knowing anything do? Trying to ruin the trial once again, are ya?

Owari: But, it's not just Komaeda, y'know. I don't really know, myself.

Souda: You are... Well, you're empty-headed, so it'll be alright...

Owari: I'm empty-headed...? Hmph, so what about it... Listen up, alright! You can't fill your head up with dreams if there ain't any space left in the first place!

Nanami: Either way... We can't leave them out and proceed with the trial, can we... So... Since Hinata was the first witness, may he please go over the case for us?

Hinata: Got it. Then, I'll start from when we split up into two groups due to the despair fever. In the hospital group were Komaeda, Mioda, and Owari - who were infected -add Tsumiki, Kuzuryuu, and I, and that makes a total of 6 people.

Sonia: The 5 that remain... The motel group comprised of I, Mr. Tanaka, Mr. Souda, Miss Nanami, and Miss Saionji.

Kuzuryuu: It's only "hospital group" in name.. As resting on hospital grounds was prohibited, Hinata and I went to sleep at the hotel instead.

Hinata: Likewise, even on the day of the incident... I woke up in the hotel... I heard about Komaeda's recovery through Tsumiki coming to my room and waking me up. After the two of us headed straight for the hospital, and confirmed that Komaeda had recovered... We decided on the tired Tsumiki to take a break in the restroom, while I would be on standby at the lobby. It was at that moment... Even though it was not yet time, I noticed that the security camera monitor was receiving a signal. When I pressed the switch to see what was going on... A person dressed in a hospital gown, with a bag over their head... Climbing up the ladder on their own will... Such footage showed up on the monitor.

Komaeda: That's amazing! What a heart-pounding story! So, what did you do after that?

Hinata: I tried to stop them, of course... Hurrying out of the hospital, I rushed to the music club as fast as I could, to where the camera was... ...But, I was already too late. When I arrived at the music club, the person, with the bag over their head... Had already hung themselves. I thought I'd best let everyone else know about it right away, so I headed for the motel.

Komaeda: Why the motel?

Hinata: Because it was near the music club. And plus, unlike the hospital, everyone in the motel crew were all well and healthy enough to move around... ...Or at least, that's what I thought, but the only one who ended up tagging along was Nanami.

Nanami: Even so, I remember that I felt a little reassured once we met up with Tsumiki and Kuzuryuu not long after.

Kuzuryuu: ...As for us, we went searching for the missing Mioda.

Tsumiki: After taking a little rest, I decided to go around the wards to check up on how the patients were doing... From there, I realized Mioda had gone missing... As I was rushing out of the hospital... I met Kuzuryuu by chance, so I had pleaded him in many ways to help me look for Mioda.

Souda: ...In many ways?!

Kuzuryuu: Don't say anything that'll make people take it the wrong way...

Hinata: After hearing from those two that Mioda was missing, I wondered if the person with the bag over their head would be her... Taking everyone else along with me, I returned to the music club as soon as I could.

Kuzuryuu: But, since the door wouldn't budge, the four of us had no choice but to force it open... And once we got in... As if Mioda herself wasn't bad enough, Saionji's body was there as well! All tightly wound up on a pillar, at that!

Hinata: At that moment, the body discovery announcement was heard. Twice in a row, too...

Tsumiki: Either way... You suggested that, first off, we take Mioda down and off the rope, didn't you?

Hinata: When we took the bag off... It really was Mioda.

Komaeda: So that's how this case goes, huh. Thanks... I understand it well now...

Kuzuryuu: Well, there's no doubt that something smells fishy about this case. In the time that Hinata was not present, someone came to the music club, and...

Komaeda: ...But, I wonder how much longer do I have to believe this story you're telling me right now? Sorry, but hearing it from this point of view, y'know... This story is way too suspicious, don't you think? The only one who watched the video was you, and the first person to discover Mioda's body was you, too? ...Then, that means you can lie anytime you like, right?

Hinata: L-Lie...?! Why would I ever be dishonest about something?!

Komaeda: To turn the tables to your favor, of course.

Hinata: ..So, you're saying I'm suspicious?

Komaeda: If I'm wrong, then go ahead and prove it... Now, prove it to me! Prove that you're no culprit! Hinata's testimony is far too suspicious!

Tsumiki: In the case that Hinata's testimony is really a lie... Then, the thing about Mioda hanging herself...

Komaeda: That'd also be a lie, of course.

Souda: That theory... I can't deny it, either... The only witness is Hinata himself, after all!

Sonia: Why would Mr. Hinata be dishonest with us?

Komaeda: Because he's the culprit, of course!

Nanami: You mean to say Hinata killed two people?

Komaeda: It could be that he purposely killed them in such ways, as so to accomplish a copycat murder...

Hinata: I'm not the culprit! For me, that kind of imitation...

Komaeda: ...Is obviously impossible. I know.

Hinata: ...What?

Komaeda: Hinata hadn't watched the movie prior to the murders... The movie ticket he has is proof. That invitation is something that's only given out to each person once, and on it, they stamp the date of the day you put it to use... ...There's no doubt about it, right, Monokuma?

Monokuma: Yes, there's no doubt.

Komaeda: In other words, for Hinata - who didn't watch the movie before the incident - committing a copycat crime according to said movie, is out of the question. That, or... Is there anyone who explained the movie to Hinata beforehand? Seems like there isn't, is there?

Souda: H-Hold on just a minute! This is something that _you_ brought up in the first place!

Hinata: Komaeda... What are you trying to do...!

Komaeda: Ah. I just thought it was high time we make your testimony absolute, so I suppose it'd be nice to lay out the foundation for you to build up on... ...And to serve you with a little warm-up, too.

Hinata: W-Warming up?! Yeah, right! This isn't playtime!

Komaeda: D-Don't get angry... I just thought you could do with a warm-up, precisely because this _isn't_ playtime.

Nanami: Seems like you just wasted your time, doesn't it. Well, not that I didn't see this coming, anyway.

Sonia: T-Then... Let's just all put faith in Mr. Hinata, and proceed with the trial discussion, shall we?

Owari: If that's the case, then there's no doubt that Mioda climbed up the ladder of her own will, yeah?

Hinata: Yeah, it's definite.

Owari: Then we're done! Mioda kicked her own bucket good!

Tanaka: If Mioda's case is suicide... Then, who killed Saionji?

Owari: Uhh - a suicide and a murder happening at the same place coincidentally... Wouldn't be that, would it.

Kuzuryuu: I've said it before, didn't I? That there's no doubt something's up with this case. I'm telling you, the culprit killed Saionji during the time that Hinata left the music club unattended... Then, if we just wring out the bastard who was able to do that, this case is closed!

Tanaka: If that's so, I shall ask Hinata one question... How long did you leave the music club unattended for, roughly?

Hinata: Probably... I suppose it was barely 10 minutes...

Souda: You mean someone killed Saionji and tied her up like that within 10 minutes tops? You can shoot for the moon, but this lands on the Sun, yeah?

Kuzuryuu: That's why, in order to use that time effectively, the culprit chose the music club as their den.

Owari: Huh? What do you mean, "den"?

Kuzuryuu: The culprit blocked the door from the inside preventing us from getting in right away, y'know.

Sonia: But, the only entrance to the music club is just that one door, is it not? If the culprit blocks it from within, doesn't that mean that they themselves can't leave the music club, either?

Kuzuryuu: Yeah, it's just as you say... In other words, when we broke the door and forced our way into the music club, the culprit was still inside!

Tsumiki: Hueehhh?! T-They were still inside?!

Kuzuryuu: If we're right, then, that means whoever had no alibi becomes suspicious... That's be Sonia and Souda! I'm talking about you two bastards!

Sonia: I-I as well?!

Souda: W-What, the hell's up with that! Why us, of all people?!

Kuzuryuu: Everyone else has an alibi, y'know. Me, Nanami, and Tsumiki... we all helped break open the music club entrance, alongside Hinata... As for Tanaka, Hinata met him at the motel, not long before that... On top of that, Owari and Komaeda, who were ill back at the hospital - fat chance they could've done jack shit, so that leave one of you two!

Komaeda: If you're talking about people without an alibi, there's one person, am I wrong? Nidai, that is.

Monokuma: You mean me, toooooooo?!

Monomi: Hold on, why you as well...? I-It's a joke, right...? There won't be some... Weird thing going on, right?

Sonia: P-Please stop that... Unfavorable jokes are no good...

Kuzuryuu: Anyway! As long as the culprit was hiding inside the music club, of course the ones without on alibi for that time period come off as suspicious!

Souda: What a completely malicious interrogation... Is this what they call the technique of a professional...?

Kuzuryuu: The culprit was inside the music club. Blocking the entrance from the inside...

Hinata: Hold on a minute...! There's a possibility that they blocked the door from the outside.

Kuzuryuu: Outside, you say... How?

Hinata: I'm talking about the "translucent lumps" we found stuck at the bottom of the door. Perhaps they used that?

Kuzuryuu: Translucent lumps... You mean, like gum elastic?

Hinata: That translucent material... It's an adhesive.

Kuzuryuu: A-An adhesive?!

Nanami: Yeah, I think the same way, too. A chemical-like, factory-reminiscent taste that spread in my mouth when I chewed on some... The texture was like hardened jelly, with no elasticity to it... ...Even by appearance alone, you can determine that it'd be glue of some sort.

Owari: So glue is something you can eat, too...

Sonia: I don't suppose people would typically eat such material.

Hinata: That adhesive was lathered in the middle of the entrance, between where the two doors touched... By slipping it between the gap, they were able to seal the entrance from the outside.

Nanami: And that ended up leaving behind lumpy residue on the other side of the entrance... Yeah, this theory fits perfectly with what we witnessed.

Tsumiki: But... Even though it was sealed with an adhesive, didn't we get the door open fairly easily?

Nanami: It's okay, it doesn't really matter... The culprit's true objective was to get us to misinterpret the door as being locked from the inside, after all.

Kuzuryuu: ...W-What?!

Nanami: That drumstick was too out of place from the very beginning, don't you think? Actually, it was unnatural to the point that one would think it is a part of the culprit's camouflage.

Kuzuryuu: So you mean that drumstick... Was a "trap" that the culprit set up on purpose, all along...? Then, doesn't that mean... I completely fell for the trap that the culprit dug up?!

Souda: Say sorry to me and Lady Sonia! But this time, stabbing yourself ain't allowed!

Monomi: It's no good to fight with one another! Now, let's all get along, shall we!

Tanaka: Then... In the 10 or so minutes Hinata was absent, the culprit not only committed murder - but managed to set up the scene in such a way, as well?

Owari: And tying her up with tape after killing her, at that?

Souda: Ain't there a limit on how fast a person can go!

Tsumiki: Huu... Even for someone as thick-headed as I am, it's a speed I can't even imagine...!

Komaeda: If it would prove difficult to get all that done in the time Hinata wasn't in the music club, then... Then, you could just do it beforehand, couldn't you.

Kuzuryuu: But when Hinata first went into the music club, only Mioda's was there, y'know?

Komaeda: So, you're saying that, when you all decided to go check out the music club, Saionji's body got added who knows when? At the time, the body showed up, sure - but you never know, she might've actually been killed a whole lot earlier, right?

Tsumiki: O-Only the body showing up...?

Komaeda: The body didn't just show up because it wanted to, of course. It must have been the culprit's doing. ...Here, this is proof.

Tanaka: Hmm... Is that the same scrap of paper, that was found hooked to the stage lights?

Komaeda: That's right, but... I wonder what this scrap of paper is?

Hinata: That paper scrap... Isn't it from the storage wallpaper? In the storage of the music club, there's a wallpaper which is of the same color as the paper scrape. That wallpaper had a corner torn off, didn't it? That must mean...

Komaeda: That's right... If we try to fit the paper scrap to the torn part of the wallpaper... ...See, it fits perfectly!

Sonia: I see... So, that paper scrap we found, is originally a part of that wallpaper...

Owari: Uhh, but what about? Does it have something to do with Saionji's body showing up like it did?

Komaeda: Someone like I, doesn't even have the right to answer... If you were witty enough to find out where the paper scrap was from, then you'll figure out the answer in no time at all!

Hinata: I got it... Until the time that we discovered it, Saionji's body was concealed the whole entire time!

Tanaka: However, tying up a previously concealed body to a pillar would take quite the considerable amount of time, itself.

Hinata: No, don't you think that the body was already tied up in the first place, and the culprit just wrapped the wallpaper around the "entire pillar"?

Tanaka: What... The entire pillar, you say?!

Hinata: Yeah. By wrapping wallpaper around the already existing pillar, they had made "another big pillar". In other words, when we first discovered Mioda's body... Saionji's body was already there! Except, we didn't know, since her body was hidden behind the "extra" pillar that was set up...

Komaeda: Well, it's not impossible to not notice the changes, it it? After all, it's only expected that Mioda's corpse is what would catch the eye frist, over anything else.

Sonia: Did the culprit make use of the stage lights to assist in setting up the wallpaper?

Komaeda: Seeing as it circles the pillars all around, it's perfect for wrapping wallpaper around it.

Tsumiki: Then... The reason why the wallpaper had stickers all over it, was to make it appear similar to the pillar...

Hinata: The culprit concealed Saionji's body in such ways, and using the time the music club was left unattended as their chance, they took the wallpaper down.

Nanami: But, that's where the culprit slipped up. The wallpaper had torn a little bit. And so, a bit of the wallpaper was left behind.

Komaeda: The culprit must have been in a hurry the whole time, though. Were they to linger around, Hinata could come back any second.

Tsumiki: But to wrap the wallpaper around the entire pillar, they're... How should I say this... Very bold...? Outrageous...?

Komaeda: Either way, handling the crime must've become a lot easier. Less work to do while Hinata's gone, y'know? Since all you'd have to do is take the wallpaper down and put it back into the storage, this little deceiving trick doesn't take much effort to do.

Kuzuryuu: If that's so... Then, when's the actual time that Saionji got murdered?

Komaeda: Right, for the sake of uncovering the truth... Let us take a closer look at this "copycat crime" now, shall we!

Monomi: Umm... That "copycat crime" you've been talking about since earlier... What is it...?

Monokuma: You're kidding me, right! Haven't you seen it? I'm talking about that masterpiece, "Wizard of Monomi 2.5D"!

Monomi: Hold on! Please don't cast people in things without their consent!

Monokuma: Shut up, will you... You marimo-consuming filth.

Monomi: I don't eat marimo! I only just like looking at it!

Tsumiki: As I thought... That "copycat crime" was intentional, wasn't it? There are just too many things in common...

Kuzuryuu: The way that Mioda died by being hung in the same way as how the first victim, the scarecrow, died in the movie... On top of that, Saionji found dead tied up to something is the same as that of the lion, who died second.

Tanaka: Both crimes were committed according to the film. If only the dismantled tin woodsman remains, then...

Owari: But, why would the culprit do something that's nothing but just a big pain in the neck?

Komaeda: The reason why the culprit decided to imitate the movie isn't all that difficult a puzzle to crack now, is it?

Hinata: The reason why the culprit imitated the movie, was to confuse us on the order of death.

Kuzuryuu: Then... Are you saying that Saionji actually died _before_ Mioda...?!

Tanaka: That theory sounds plausible, I suppose...

Nanami: Yeah, you're right about that... The situation regarding Mioda's corpse tells us as much.

Tanaka: Situation regarding Mioda's corpse... You say...?! Hmph... Since you are begging me through tears, I suppose I have no choice. I shall lend and ear to this "situation regarding Mioda's corpse" you speak of.

Nanami: ...I wasn't crying, though.

Tanaka: I'll make you weep as much as you please, afterward! Make haste and speak, before I change my mind!

Souda: What'cha looking down on people for?

Nanami: Ah, so you want me to teach you, right? Because you didn't understand what I was talking about you want me to explain it to you, don't you?

Tanaka: Outrageous! You dare look down on I even more?!

Nanami: ...Look, Mioda died from being hung, didn't she? In other words, the times Mioda was still on her feet must have been "while she was still alive", right?

Tanaka: ...So, what about that?!

Nanami: But, y'know... I think that, around the time Saionji was killed, Mioda still had her two feet on the ground. That's why, it become that Saionji gets killed before Mioda dies.

Tanaka: Kuhuhuhu... How featherweight... Your words, are as weightless as a sylph's wings... Fuahaha...! An inferior opposition, indeed! Attempting to dazzle this one with simply so little... truly you jest!

Souda: Ahh- he's gone full pain-in-the-ass mode...

Tanaka: You say that, around the time Saionji had passed, Mioda was still on her two feet... How does a lower organism with zero clairvoyance, such as you, come to declare such claims?!

Nanami: That's because something that can only happen when she has her two feet on the ground happened.

Tanaka: It appears that you are passionately delusional!

Souda: ...And this is coming from you?!

Nanami: Around the time when Saionji died... Mioda's feet were still on the ground.

Tanaka: I'm telling you to prove why that is!

Kuzuryuu: Did you see her walk around or something?

Sonia: By her feet "still on the ground", you mean... Was there any evidence of her having stepped on something?

Hinata: It's just as Sonia said... Mioda had stepped on "something". That "something", was blood... There were faint traces of blood smeared on Mioda's soles, you see.

Sonia: That is... It wouldn't be her blood, would it? She was found to have no external injuries, after all.

Owari: Then, that means it's Saionji's blood!

Kuzuryuu: The only injury on Saionji's body was the cut on her throat... On top that, her death was basically instantaneous, wasn't it?

Sonia: Having stepped on that kind of blood, means...

Hinata: It means that, around the time when Saionji was injured, Mioda was still on the ground. In other words, at the time Saionji was killed, Mioda was still alive!

Tanaka: Fuahaha! Is this all you can do?! You've reached the end of the road, Hajime Hinata!

Hinata: ...W-What, do you have an objection?

Tanaka: "Do you have an objection?" ...Haha, great word choice. However, is this what you desire? Were I to display my true powers, there lies the possibility the world may be destroyed. Are you so frightened, that you cannot summon your voice... It seems that you have finally realized the differences between our standings in this world... However, the antithesis of salvation is only just starting! Entertain me! So, you say the blood on Mioda's feet are that of Saionji? Hah, simply ridiculous! Try to envision the crime scene clearly in your mind... There was not a single drop of blood to be seen on the floor!

Hinata: No... The reason why we saw no blood on the floor, was because the culprit cleaned it up afterward.

Tanaka: D-Do not spew out such absurdity...! Something of that kind did now exist anyw-

Hinata: ...But it did exist. If you take a close look... It's faint, but on the stage, there remain traces of blood having been wiped off.

Nanami: The culprit must have wiped it off at around the same time they concealed Saionji's body, but... They probably hadn't noticed that Mioda ended up stepping on the blood prior to the clean-up.

Kuzuryuu: The reason why they wiped the blood off... It was to confuse the order of death, wasn't it? Say you hid Saionji's body, yeah, but you'd be fucked if there was blood remaining at the crime scene.

Hinata: 'Cause for Mioda, who was outside at that time, there were no injuries that'd cause any bleeding...

Nanami: I wonder if the reason why the culprit tied Saionji up, was to try and stop the blood circulation, perhaps...

Tsumiki: Well, since blood circulation stops when the heart does too, I don't think there was really a need to go so far...

Sonia: Since nobody else aside from Miss Tsumiki has that knowledge, I suppose the culprit didn't really know what to do.

Souda: Could it be... They tampered with the air conditioner, so that it'd make investigating hard for Tsumiki?

Tsumiki: T-That's true! Due to the air conditioner, I couldn't properly estimate the times of death!

Hinata: If the reason why the death times weren't listed in the Monokuma File was to hide evidence from us, then...

Nanami: ...Yeah. We have a good enough foundation from this, so nobody else has any further objections, right? Then, there we have it! Saionji was murdered, prior to Mioda's death!

Tanaka: For now, it seems... Taking a step would be wisest... That's fine... Since, to faith risen from a lack of both good and evil, there is little embellishment to speak of.

Souda: ...Can't you just shut up and piss off already.

Sonia: Then, shall we resume with our trial discussion...

Komaeda: Ah, hold on a second. Before we do that, there's something that I would like to confirm with Monokuma.

Owari: Ehh, again! Didn't you already do that, like, a long time ago?!

Komaeda: Hey, let's say the victim's cause of death is suicide... I wonder what we'll do then?

Monokuma: It's the same, of course... All you have to do is vote for the person you think is guilty, like you have always done... If you think about it... Suicide is also murder in a way. After all, you're killing a precious life that is called yourself. Unfortunately, if that's the case, we won't be able to punish anybody, but... Oh well, if that happens, we can punish Monomi instead.

Monomi: Why me?!

Sonia: Excuse me... Mr. Komaeda? By the victim's cause of death being possibly suicide, what do you...

Komaeda: No, it's just that... Leaving Saionji aside for now, I wonder if Mioda was really killed. For example... After killing Saionji, Mioda might have killed herself out of remorse, right?

Souda: No way, man! If that's right, then she shouldn't have killed anyone in the first place!

Komaeda: She caught the despair fever, y'know? I think, no matter what happened, it wouldn't come off as strange...

Nanami: But, if Mioda is the culprit, then the deceiving trick becomes useless, don't you think? If they were to introduce Saionji's corpse once Hinata witnessed Mioda's body, then... The culprit needs to be alive at that time.

Komaeda: Then, they must have been alive!

Tsumiki: Huueeehhhh?!

Komaeda: When Hinata frist became a witness, they were simply playing dead... Once they realized Hinata left, they could've made a move and set up a camouflage, right?

Kuzuryuu: S-She was hanging off a rope by her neck, alright?! Nobody could play dead in that situation!

Nanami: On top of that, if they wanted to fake being dead, they wouldn't have gone for that particular option... I think. If anyone was to touch her defenseless body, then the plan would be done for, right?

Komaeda: Hmm, is that right...? Then... Then, there's no doubt those two were murdered by someone. Lucky for us! Now, we can search for the culprit without any worries.

Owari: W-What the hell!

Komaeda: Ah, but in that case, we are left with just one question... If it wasn't suicide, what was that video Hinata saw? In the video that Hinata saw... You said that Mioda was climbing up the ladder of her own will, right? Then, that too... Who made her do that?

Sonia: "Making her do it"... Could it be... They used hypnotism?

Komaeda: How should I know that?

Owari: ...How about you shut that trap like the adult you are?

Tsumiki: E-Excuse me... It seems there's no doubt the culprit did something, so leaving the method aside for now... Then... I thought, maybe, we should try to pinpoint the people who are eligible for the crime...

Sonia: You mean alibis, right...? Starting from alibis, it's a plan to start breaking everything down, is it not?! Since Mr. Hinata witnessed the footage, the time of the crime is clear also!

Nanami: Ah, before that, I want to confirm something... That camera... there isn't any recording device to it, right?

Souda: It's a cruddy cheap camera, y'know? There's no way that kinda stuff comes with such crap.

Tsumiki: Then... What Hinata saw was, without a doubt, a real-time footage, right?

Tanaka: When was the time that you witnessed the footage?

Hinata: When I watched it back at the hospital... That was before the morning announcement. Witnessing the actual body at the music club, with my own eyes, was a little after the announcement.

Komaeda: Then, Mioda being hung, came before the announcement... And since we discovered a little while back that Saionji died before Mioda did... In other words, the time the two were murdered was "before the morning announcement"!

Tsumiki: W-We just need to find people around that time who have no alibi, right...?

Sonia: Then, I shall issue a command! "The plan to break everything down, starting from the alibi" - let us begin!

Komaeda: Owari and I, who were sick, don't count, right?

Owari: What about the other guys?

Souda: If it was before the announcement or something... I was still asleep back at the motel!

Nanami: I think all the people at the motel were.

Kuzuryuu: So, that makes it that the motel crew all lack an alibi!

Souda: And what about your side...?

Kuzuryuu: I was all nice and cozy back in my room.

Tanaka: That is not valid as an alibi!

Sonia: Excluding the two who were ill back at the hospital... If everyone else has no alibi to speak of...

Hinata: Hold on a sec... Not everyone has no alibi. To be honest... Tsumiki and I both have an alibi.

Sonia: T-The two of you have an alibi...?

Hinata: Until the moment I watched the video, Tsumiki and I were together the whole time, you see.

Tsumiki: W-We even woke up together, too!

Souda: Oi! What kind of situation is this?!

Tsumiki: Eheh... I ended up falling asleep on top of Hinata...

Nanami: ...Thanks for the meal.

Hinata: T-That's not it! She only came over so she could tell me about Komaeda's recovery!

Tsumiki: Like that, the two of us went to the hospital, and were together until the morning announcement...

Owari: Got ya... Let's just say you two both have an alibi.

Kuzuryuu: Meaning, the culprit is one of the people left over, huh...

Nanami: ...It's probably best to think like so, right? The reason why the culprit tried to deceive us on the order of death, was to confuse the "actual time of the crime", after all.

Tanaka: You mean, the importance of an alibi for "before the morning announcement", is but the inevitable truth?

Sonia: Oh no... Due to our plan to break things down, it seems that we have been cornered into a cul-de-sac...

Komaeda: But, y'know... The meaning to that "copycat murder"... I wonder if that's truly the only meaning to it? Deceiving us on the death order and confusing us on the time of the crime, in order to vouch for themselves an alibi... The reason why they set up the bodies, as so to imitate the film... I wonder if that's really the only reason why?

Hinata: Are you saying... That they might have a different objective?

Komaeda: Sorry that the words of rubbish like I have stirred things up, but that kind of thought just got into my head, y'know. What if the culprit's true objective was not to confuse nor deceive us, but some other goal in mind...?

* * *

Mioda calmly sipped her soda as she watched the trial. "The one downside to all this... Ibuki doesn't get to be in the middle of the action. It was exciting, y'know." Tora chuckled. "Oh really? Go through six years of such things, and it starts to wear on you." "Hey, I can top that," Phoenix said, "I've been through nine years of trials like this. Not counting the eight years I was disbarred, of course." "One thing Ibuki doesn't get," Mioda said, "Why go through with all this? Your brother taking that program, I mean?" "Think about it," Tora explained, "If you had a younger sibling who was more talented than you, how would you feel?" Mioda shrugged. "Ibuki wouldn't care one way or another, but that's just me."

* * *

Komaeda: ...Hmm? You've suddenly gone all quiet, haven't you? Could it be because I made this situation more difficult, I wonder...? If that's right, I'm getting this urge to suffocate myself to death...!

Owari: There he goes again.

Komaeda: That's right... While they were at it, they should have killed me too... that'd have been perfect... If they did that... It'd have made their copycat crime complete... I wonder why they didn't kill me...

Monokuma: Well, that's because if you kill 3 people, you're breaking the rules, y'know!

Komaeda: That kind of rule is simply too much! Thanks to that, I didn't get to be murdered...

Souda: We get it already, so shut up! And keep that trap shut!

Nanami: But, if you think about it once more... It really is a bit odd.

Souda: You mean the culprit not killing 3 people, unlike how it went in the movie? There's that Monokuma rule, so no helping it, right?

Nanami: That's not the only thing, you see... Look, try remembering how the movie went. You know, that lion, who was killed second...

Tanaka: ...You mean to say Saionji was based off that lion, yes?

Nanami: Mm... It's copycat crime in name, but... That lion was shot and pinned up by arrows, right? But, what was used to tie up Saionji's body was just common tape you could find anywhere, y'know?

Tsumiki: Because it'd be difficult to imitate the movie completely by using arrows, isn't it that the culprit just used nearby items that could substitute for it?

Nanami: Well, that sounds about right, but... I just thought that came off as sort of strange. If "confusing us on the order of deaths" was a part of their plan in the first place, then... I think they'd have at least prepared as much, and _then_ carried out a proper copycat crime.

Kuzuryuu: Well, if you were to half-ass a copycat crime and people noticed it, then the entire plan would become meaningless, wouldn't it...

Tanaka: So, what is it you wish to say? Do you mean to say that their imitation was not strategically planned?

Nanami: How should I say this...? The entire murder of Saionji itself.

Tanaka: ...What?!

Tsumiki: Umm... I understand that the copycat crime wasn't quite complete, but... Don't you think you're jumping to conclusions...

Nanami: It's not just about the imitating part. I'm saying this because there are other unnatural points to note.

Owari: Unnatural points to note... Like what?

Nanami: For example, for what reason did Saionji go to the music club... Something along those lines.

Hinata: Do you mean... The truth behind this murder is there?

Souda: So you say, but I can't even try to take a guess.

Tanaka: Yet... This has taken quite the interesting turn! Even the Four are lighting a fire in their hearts...!

Tsumiki: Saionji... For what reason... ...Did she go to the music club... How could I possibly understand the reason why!

Kuzuryuu: Maybe the culprit called her out?

Owari: If that's not right... The culprit could've dragged her!

Sonia: No, perchance... She may have gone of her own will...

Hinata: It's just as Sonia said. Saionji had gone to the live house, on her own two feet.

Sonia: As I thought... That must be the case.

Kuzuryuu: Why would she go on her own? You sure it wasn't because someone called her out?

Nanami: But Saionji - because she wanted to avoid the despair fever, she was constantly sitting inside her room, away from everyone else. I don't think that kind of girl would willingly tag along with anyone simply because they called for her.

Owari: Getting dragged, or something... Is that not it?

Hinata: Saionji locked her room, properly, before leaving.

Souda: If she was forcibly dragged, then I guess it wouldn't have been the right kinda time to be locking your room...

Owari: The door could've been locked by the culprit, yeah? To hide the fact that Saionji was dragged away, that is.

Hinata: Then... They would've put the key somewhere more noticeable, not somewhere that deep inside her clothes. Because... If nobody found out, than the meaning to that camouflage would be lost, wouldn't it? At that time, the one who found the key was you, wasn't it? Then, that much you should at least...

Owari: You sayin' I'm wrong? For all we know, this might be my first and last chance to shine, so a little fun won't hurt, right?

Hinata: N-No... That kind of problem isn't...

Owari: You're noisy! Your blabbering ends here! I'll make you shut that trap of yours, right now! Saionji was in her room the whole time, right? I said, it's obvious someone dragged her out! The culprit forced their way into Saionji's room... And dragged her out against her will! 'Cause the kid's short and puny-looking... She ended up becoming the culprit's target!

Hinata: But, Saionji's room had been locked. That key was hidden deep within her clothes, you see? The possibility of Saionji having gone to the music club of her own will, is higher, and more likely!

Owari: Didn't I already say that the culprit locked the door? The thing about the motel key being inside her clothes... The culprit could've shoved it in there afterwards!

Hinata: There's no reason for them to hide the key so deep. That key... The culprit hadn't noticed it!

Owari: Hold up, try to remember what Saionji's body looked like! Her kimono was all over the place, wasn't it! There's only one reason as to why it looked like that... They had a go at each other, that's what!

Hinata: The reason why Saionji's kimono was like that, was because she didn't know how to dress herself properly.

Owari: D-Dressing herself...?

Hinata: Yeah. That may as well be the very reason as to why Saionji had gone to the music club of her own will.

Sonia: Miss Saionji had quite the difficult time when it came to dressing herself in her kimono... Surely... I think that it counts as one of the reasons why Miss Saionji confined herself in her room... ...That's why, I had suggested an idea to her. If she goes to the music club, there'll be a full-length mirror there, so how about letting her reflection help her... Is what I said...

Owari: Then... You mean, her clothes getting stuffed up wasn't thanks to battling it out with the culprit...?

Hinata: Yeah. For the sake of dressing herself properly, she had willingly gone to the music club.

Owari: I-I get it already... It's my loss. Roast me, boil me, strip me, or whatever... Do whatever you want!

Souda: Hinata, there's your chance! Make her do something "ooh", or "ahh"!

Nanami: Then... The culprit must not have been expecting it, don't you think? Saionji coming to the music club, that is.

Tanaka: Sonia, who informed Saionji, is not a big deal, however...

Sonia: Even if one knows that she will arrive... It's not possible to know _when_ she will arrive...

Souda: Don't doubt Lady Sonia, Baldy! I'll make you sleep forever along with those hamsters of yours!

Tanaka: Hn, Souda... You are clothed in quite the high-sense outfit, however... Shall I turn one into a lump of coal that may never be clothed again? Of course, I am talking about you!

Sonia: Mr. Tanaka, please stop it!

Souda: Huh?! Even though it looks like I'm the one being treated like the side dish right now?

Tanaka: But, of course... I have had at least 10 chances to kill you, in which I generously let them all pass me by...!

Kuzuryuu: But, if the culprit themselves didn't even see Saionji coming, why was she killed at the music club?

Nanami: An unfortunate accident... Is the only thing I can think of.

Owari: A-Accident...?

Nanami: Having gone to the music club, she probably unfortunately ran right into the crime scene.

Kuzuryuu: You mean, someone killed her to shut her up?!

Nanami: At the time... I wonder if the culprit was about to kill Mioda. Surely, Mioda already had the bag over her head... That's why, without any hesitation, the culprit...

Kuzuryuu: And so... Did she end up getting killed...

Nanami: But, what makes this culprit not your average bade guy, is that they added that coincidence to their overall crime.

Hinata: So that's... The deceiving trick, created via imitation.

Tanaka: In other words, do you mean to say that the foul villain had no intentions of a copycat crime in the first place?

Nanami: Then, I wonder what the culprit's original plan was? This person, as crafty as they are, wouldn't have killed Mioda without any preparations beforehand, right?

Tsumiki: H-Have you deduced something?

Souda: What the...? You don't seem to get this stuff, do ya?

Hinata: Hey, Komaeda... Thought of anything?

Souda: Oi, how long you gonna stay shut up for...?

Komaeda: Ah, am I allowed to talk? Wow, I'm so happy I'm getting goosebumps! To think that everyone is accepting of trash like me!

Hinata: So, what do you think...?

Komaeda: While I had my mouth zipper, I was thinking about it the whole time... Finally, the answer has come to me... As I thought, Mioda didn't kill herself!

Owari: ...Huh? What are you talking about?

Komaeda: I had thought that there was the possibility she was pretending to be dead, as part of her plan, but... But, then I remembered! There was some _blood_ found on the soles of Mioda's shoes, was there not? That's why, if she was playing dead, and then later had walked around the music club to set up the crime scene... Surely, bloody prints would be left all over the place. That's why... We can't say Mioda was pretending to be dead! There's no way her cause of death was suicide!

Kuzuryuu: You know... We finished talking about that ages ago.

Komaeda: ...Huh? Really? You got me. Seems like all I can do now, is laugh it off...

Souda: A-Are you for real...? How unhelpful can you even get...!

Hinata: This is weird... Weird, I tell you!

Tsumiki: W-Weird, you say... What is?

Hinata: If Mioda had used the ladder, then it's weird that the ladder steps have no footprints on them, don't you think?

Owari: Eh? There weren't any?

Hinata: Yeah, the ladder steps were completely clean. There weren't any footprints or blood on them anywhere.

Komaeda: T-To have noticed something so small, that's really beyond amazing! That very talents must be why you got selected as a Super High School Level student!

Tsumiki: But... Hinata had said so, didn't he? He said he had watched the video of Mioda... Climbing up the ladder... If that's right... I think there's no doubt that Mioda climbed up the ladder...

Nanami: Rather, it was the video that was strange.

Tanaka: Is that so... There is some "trick" to the video, you mean?

Komaeda: But, the only one who could figure that out is Hinata, himself. You're the only one who watched it, after all...

Sonia: Mr. Hinata, we're counting on you.

Nanami: Since we've left it up to you... I don't need to say "good luck", do I? Well, you can start.

Hinata: Yeah, I'll give it a try...! That's right, I remembered... In that video, there really was something that came off as unnatural.

Nanami: Care to tell us?

Hinata: What was odd, was "the ladder" we talked about earlier. It's true that the steps were clean, but, on the sides... There was blood there. The "left side", that is. Except... It's different from the one I saw at the hospital. On the ladder I saw back there, there wasn't blood or anything like that on it. The left side was all clean, too.

Komaeda: That really is strange, isn't it... If that's a video depicting Mioda moments away from her death, then at that point in time, Saionji is already dead.

Hinata: But even so, the blood on the side of the ladder... The fact that it's not present on the ladder in the video...

Komaeda: On top of that, it's not a recorded video. The only other possibility I can think of, otherwise, it...

Nanami: ...The possibility of "another ladder" being used, isn't it.

Kuzuryuu: You mean there are two ladders?!

Tanaka: Now, where is this other ladder? There was only one single ladder in the music club.

Nanami: Then, that other ladder must have been in a "place other than the music club".

Tsumiki: W-What do you mean...?

Komaeda: What's "different" about the video isn't just the ladder... That's what you're saying, right? How amazing, Nanami! As I thought, a reasoning power formed through video games... Is that how I should put it?

Tsumiki: U-Umm... What are the two of you talking about?

Hinata: That's right... For all we know, it might be that the filming location was an entirely different place!

Owari: An entirely different place... What do you mean?

Hinata: Basically, what I'm saying is that the video I watched, wasn't filmed at the music club... It was a video taken "somewhere else"!

Souda: But, what goes on the hospital monitor are things filmed through the "music club camera", y'know?

Tanaka: If that's so... Though not for sure, the culprit may have tampered with the security sets...

Hinata: I see... The culprit simply just carried the camera out of the music club. Using that camera... They wanted us to think that footage shot someplace else, was taken in the music club instead.

Kuzuryuu: Then... You mean, only the monitor was in the music club?

Hinata: At the time when I discovered Mioda's body... That's right. But, at that time when Saionji's body was unveiled, surely, the camera was back where it originally was.

Owari: It'd be... A piece of cake if Hinata noticed it first off, right...

Sonia: Since a body was discovered, he must have not had an eye to spare on a camera.

Hinata: That's also true, but... Since the culprit didn't want others to notice they had no camera, they did "something" to the other monitor. The culprit, with the remaining monitor at the music club, had crushed it to pieces... Since, if only bits and pieces like that are left behind, you can't tell right away whether a camera is there or not... Seeing as I was only focused on the corpse and all, I wasn't able to even notice such a thing.

Komaeda: So, during the time Hinata was gone, the culprit put back that very camera they had carried out not long before...

Hinata: All broken and reduced to piece, at that.

Souda: But... Even if you say the vid was shot elsewhere, that security camera's radio waves ain't that strong, y'know?

Tanaka: Despite Souda having worked hard with desperation, it didn't reach from the hospital to the motel...

Souda: Being able to communicate between the hospital and the music club is pretty damn impressive itself, thanks!

Hinata: What has the possibility, is... The hospital's meeting room.

Souda: Eh? You mean, it was taken at the meeting room?

Owari: But, the hospital and the music club are total opposites.

Hinata: Which is why... Having worked on a few things, the culprit made the two places appear similar.

Tsumiki: The hospital's meeting room, and the music club... I don't think they're alike at all!

Souda: Where and how did they make things look similar? Did they make the meeting room like the music club? Did they make the music club look like the meeting room?

Hinata: What the culprit did there, was... Making the crime scene - the music club - look similar to the meeting room in the video! For that reason, what was used, were the black curtains draped at the back of the stage.

Nanami: Surely, there was originally a fancy curtain there, but, for some reason, after the incident occurred... On top of that curtain, a somewhat awkward black curtain, not quite there in length, was placed, wasn't it?

Monokuma: Yes, yes. Not quite there, just like Monomi!

Monomi: That's right... Not, you idiot!

Sonia: That curtain... Was it draped there, for the sake of making the music club appear similar to the meeting room?

Nanami: The meeting room curtains aren't so noticeable, but... They're black curtains that reach to the ground.

Komaeda: I see, the meeting room, huh... Surely the flooring of that meeting room... It was the same color as the music club stage, wasn't it? Then, who knows, the culprit could've chosen that meeting room because they knew the floor colors were similar.

Owari: If the floor's similar and even the curtains are the same, then it's at the level where things can't be helped, right?

Nanami: But, that's not the only thing. The culprit had one other trick set up... Or so I think.

Hinata: By one more trick being set up, you're talking about that candle at the music club, right? In the video that I watched, the candle was used as lighting... But if you think about it, it's strange... Since the music club has proper stage lighting, there's really no need to go and light a candle.

Tsumiki: That's... Perhaps they did that for the sake of creating an ominous atmosphere...?

Komaeda: They might have had such intentions, who knows... But the main reason would've been for the trick. Since the meeting room's lightning and the music club's lighting are different, you can't use them for filming... And so, the culprit used the candle as the "other lighting necessary for filming".

Kuzuryuu: ...So, are you saying that, the candle dropped on the floor at the music club... Wasn't actually used?

Hinata: It must have been put there, as so to get me thinking that it was the same one I saw in the video.

Souda: 'Cause you can't see everything fully with light from a candle, maybe they were going after that kinda effect? You can't see much with a cheap camera, after all.

Hinata: As long as we've got this much down, there won't be any problems even if we decide this is final... The video I watched wasn't taken at the music club! Actually, it was in the hospital's meeting room!

Nanami: If only we could find proof that some sort of trick was pulled off in the meeting room, then we could've reached a more effortless conclusion... As I thought, it seems the culprit hid everything away, since I couldn't find anything in the meeting room.

Souda: But, doubt about it, right...? That's the only place within the camera's communication range that fits the terms...

Sonia: The motel's too out of reach, and... The interior of the theater is rather distinctive, is it not?

Komaeda: ...But, it must have been a surprise to Hinata, right? No way, the video you saw at the hospital turned out to be shot in the very meeting room of said hospital.

Sonia: "The incident doesn't happen at the crime scene! It happens in the meeting room"... Is what you're saying, isn't it?

Owari: Uhh... If the video of Mioda hanging herself was taken in the hospital's meeting room... Then, you mean the place where Mioda got murdered is the meeting room, too?!

Kuzuryuu: Nah, that wouldn't be right... Once he finished watching that video, Hinata found Mioda's body at the music club, y'know.

Hinata: The person on the video, with the bag over their head, wasn't Mioda or anything... That was... The culprit putting on a show. After wearing a hospital gown, the culprit put the bag over their head, and simply acted like a victim.

Komaeda: Surely, at that time, Mioda was already dead.

Nanami: The actual time of death... Would've been at a less populated hour. Such as midnight, or dawn, I think.

Kuzuryuu: If she was dragged from the hospital to the music club and killed, then no way it would've been in broad daylight.

Sonia: But, why did the culprit go to such lengths, even creating such a video, to direct Mr. Hinata to the crime scene?

Hinata: The objective of the culprit who made that video, is... There's only one reason I can think of. And, if we approach towards that one reason... We'll be able to find out who the culprit is, too.

Sonia: ...Ehh?!

Tanaka: You... You mean, you have already detected the culprit?!

Hinata: Tsumiki... It's you, isn't it?

Tsumiki: ...Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiihh? E-Excuse me... What are you saying?

Hinata: ...Aren't you the culprit who killed Mioda and Saionji?

Tsumiki: C-Culprit, you say... Eh? Hueeeeehhhhhhh?! Saying that I-I'm the culprit... What do you even mean by that?!

Owari: O-Oi... Don't you think that's a bit too far? She doesn't even look like she can kill a bug... How can someone who looks like bug food even be the culprit?

Tsumiki: T-That's right! Someone like me, a thickheaded turtle, killing someone... T-That's an outrageous thing to say...!

Hinata: Even so... It's only you and I. By using Mioda's video and obtaining an "alibi", the only person who can benefit from that, is...

Sonia: An alibi...? Was acquiring an alibi what the culprit was after?

Komaeda: Now that I think about it, it was like this earlier, wasn't it... About how only Hinata and Tsumiki have an alibi.

Tsumiki: I-I said, it's just a coincidence!

Hinata: But, the only person who fits under the "possible" category for filming that video in the meeting room, is just you. Is that... Also a coincidence?

Tsumiki: Uahh?!

Hinata: At that time, even though you said you were going to the restroom... Didn't you actually go to the meeting room? You wore the hospital gown you prepared beforehand, put the bag over your head, and began your scheme... Like that, you created the video of Mioda hanging herself in the music club. That's what you showed me!

Tsumiki: Ahh... Awawawawawawawaah...

Hinata: Plus, I had watched that video in the hospital's lobby... If a person outside wants to go to the meeting room, then they have no choice but to pass through the lobby.

Kuzuryuu: It's impossible for some bastard outside the hospital to go to the meeting room and carry out the plan, you mean...

Komaeda: On top of that... Owari and I were unconscious at the hospital, thanks to the despair fever...

Tanaka: If that's so, then as I expected...!

Tsumiki: P-Please hold on a second! S-Saying that I'm a murderer... W-W-What are you even talking about...! It's impossible! How could someone like me ever commit something like murder...

Komaeda: Impossible or not, we're not talking about that right now... Can't you give us a more proper rebuttal instead?

Souda: She probably can't do even that, right...?

Owari: Hey, you sure this kind of kid is honestly the culprit?

Tsumiki: N-No... I-It's wrong... I'm telling you, it's not true!

Sonia: I-I can't even imagine... Miss Tsumiki being the culprit...

Tanaka: Hmm... To think that there are people killed by a woman as thickheaded as she... It's beyond difficult to believe...

Sonia: We could do without the "thickheaded" part...

Tsumiki: Uuu... It's alright... Since it's been like this for a long time... If there were competitions for "person I feel like bullying just from looking at them", everyone told me I'd obviously hog the title for first place... Ahh... Even though I myself can empathize a little... That's why, it's impossible for me to kill anyone or anything like that. Honest... I'm telling the truth!

Souda: ...W-What'cha gonna do, Hinata?

Tanaka: Even so, you... Do you still insist this woman is the culprit?

Tsumiki: Uyuuuu... Did H-Hinata... Sniffle... Did you really dislike me that much...?

Owari: Oi, Hinata!

Hinata: Uh, umm...

Tsumiki: Uuu... Uuuu...! Sob... Sob...!

Komaeda: ...Ah, can I have a moment? It's just... I know it's not for someone like me to day, but... If a person that wasn't useful even at the most urgent of times, opens his mouth at such an important point in time, it would be unsightly, wouldn't it...?

Hinata: W-What's this all of a sudden...?

Komaeda: But, you know... The culprit in this case... I definitely can't let them slide. I had always thought something was suspicious. The whole time, since the very beginning... An investigation done with suspicion in your heart, gives results very different from any old investigation...

Tanaka: ...Oi, what is it you wish to say?

Komaeda: Thanks to that... I now realize something you guys don't.

Souda: Hey... You serious?!

Komaeda: Being caught up in everyone else and all, I had forgotten to get it out there, but... It's OK for me to say it now, right?

Kuzuryuu: You better not have zipped your trap the whole time on purpose! This ain't some game, got it?!

Monokuma: But game, this is!

Monomi: Please stop with the speech impediments!

Nanami: So... What is it that you know, Komaeda?

Komaeda: Ah, it's nothing too great... Just one decisive piece of evidence that'll lead us to the culprit, it all.

Owari: Gak! That's a huge one!

Tsumiki: D-Decisive evidence, you say... Does something like that... Really exist?e Komaeda: I'll you right now. Here, it's this... It's the rope that was used to hand Mioda, you see... This... Was bough from the mart, wasn't it? There weren't ropes or anything like that in the music club, were there?

Owari: The mart, again...? That place is pretty much the one-stop shop for all your criminal needs, huh?

Komaeda: If it was bought from the mart... To put it briefly, that means the rope was bought in "brand new condition", doesn't it?

Kuzuryuu: ...So, what about that?

Komaeda: Given that it's brand new, pay attention to this rope... Around the middle of the rope... It's finely split, as if it was "strongly rubbed against", right? But, how did it become like this? The noose bit, that hung Mioda, is much closer towards the ends of the rope... And the part of the rope that was tied to the stage lights would be the opposite end, wouldn't it...?

Owari: Oi, you're talking too much. What is it about this split rope, huh?!

Komaeda: Simply put, my speculations are... I think that this top was used like this. The culprit, having wound the rope around Mioda's neck, strangled her by pulling strongly on both sides. As for why there are scratches around the rope's center, it's because they strangled her with that part of the rope.

Hinata: Hold it... Now that I've been listening for a while, I feel as if you knew about the rope being evidence from the start... Then, what was that you told me during the investigation?

Komaeda: Just because it's a school trial, doesn't mean everyone has to work together... There are always going to be people who lie and hide things from you, of course... Just like the culprit for this case! So, I just mimicked them a little!

Hinata: ...What?

Souda: Rather than that kinda stuff, what went down with the rope, huh? The culprit strangled Mioda with it... And then?

Komaeda: What do you mean, "and then"... I've finished talking already, y'know?

Souda: Huuuuuhh?!

Tsumiki: J-Just what part of that was decisive evidence!

Komaeda: Huh? Did you not get it? Even though I got it out there properly... The decisive evidence, that is. It's not that Mioda died from being hung... She was killed via strangulation.

Owari: Ain't those basically the same thing?

Nanami: Being hung and being strangled are completely different. The linear scars on the neck differ, too.

Sonia: By linear scars... You mean the marks, right...?

Komaeda: Yet, we had only thought she was hung... Why is that, I wonder?

Souda: Whose lie was it that got us good?!

Hinata: So that's how it was...! We were all being completely fooled by that bastard's lie, this whole entire time..! Even though Tsumiki had said to us that Mioda "was hanged"... That was a lie, wasn't it?!

Tsumiki: T-That's... That is...

Hinata: You lied about the cause of death, fooling us, didn't you?!

Tsumiki: Hiih... Hueeeehhhh...!

Komaeda: As for Tsumiki, she would know the difference between being hung and strangled right away. If she's the Tsumiki possessing the "Super High School Level Nurse" talent, that is...

Tsumiki: Huehh... Please wait a moment. I-I'm not some forensic expert in the first place... I did it without any professional knowledge... That's why... I can't help it if I'm wrong, can I?!

Sonia: T-That's true... Rather... Up till now, it's that she had been treating us well...

Komaeda: But, this is at the level where even a drunk med school students could tell the difference between being hanged and being strangled.

Kuzuryuu: Not tryin' to take sides but... If you're dense and ain't some professional either, then mistakes can't be helped, right...?

Tsumiki: T-That's right...! Eheheh... Like I said, I just slipped up because I'm thickheaded...!

Owari: Tsumiki nursed me the whole time, y'know... Doubting someone like that, or whatever... Count me out!

Komaeda: Because she nursed you with such dedication, you don't think she could've lured Mioda out, don't you?

Owari: ...Huh?

Komaeda: Even if I'm wrong... Mioda became so earnest, and so in a state where she believed anything and everything... If it was the Tsumiki who had nursed her... Then nothing's odd about following her orders like a dog, is there?

Owari: T-Then, Tsumiki volunteering to nurse us... You mean, that was her goal from the beginning?

Kuzuryuu: That's a bit... Don't you think this crosses the line of how much of a vulgar asshole you can get?

Komaeda: The true vulgar one here is Tsumiki, not me! I mean... She's a murderer, y'know?!

Tsumiki: Didn't I say that it's not true?! Please forgive me already!

Komaeda: Sorry, but, I don't think that's possible... Tsumiki's crime is the only thing I won't ever forgive.

Sonia: Excuse me... Forgiveness or whatever aside... It hasn't yet been finalized the Miss Tsumiki is the culprit...

Komaeda: Hnn, is that so...? You guys are all kind, huh...? Well, if that's what you guys want, I have no choice but to give up now, but... But, are you really okay with this? Is this what everyone's "hope" is?

Owari: Give me a break! Open your mouth once more, and I'll seriously kick your ass!

Tsumiki: B-But... I'm honestly... Not the culprit or anything... M-Me killing a person... Sniffle... There's no reason for me to do that, is there...

Hinata: ...Is it truly wrong?

Tsumiki: Huehh?!

Owari: E-Enough is enough, already! Didn't I already say to give it a break!

Hinata: ...Give what a break?!

Owari: ...Tch!

Hinata: Me too... I don't want to do this either...! Of course not...! But... We have no choice but to do it...!

Owari: Y-You're saying... You can't trust your buddies...?

Hinata: That's not it! I'm doing this _because_ I want to trust them!

Owari: W-What the hell...!

Nanami: You know... "Trusting" and "doubting"... Surely I don't think they meant the opposite.

Owari: ...Huh?

Nanami: "There's doubt, too... But, I still want to believe them". What's inside that, is the feeling of "trust". After all... If you're so sure without any room for doubt, there's no need to have faith in the first place, right?

Owari: D-Don't say all that difficult stuff... As for me... I don't really get it...

Nanami: In order to have faith in someone, you see... You have no choice but to overcome the "doubt". "Trust", that has given up "doubt"... That's just a lie.

Owari: ...Tch. I got ya... Then, do whatever you want. I won't try to stop you anymore.

Tsumiki: ...Huh? What's that? Ahh, like that... In the end, you're just tormenting me, aren't you? Justifying yourselves through sophistry... Defending yourselves, as if you haven't done anything wrong... E-Everyone's like that... Always like that... Sob... Saying that I' the bad one... Saying that I'm no good because I have problems... That's enough already! Enough, I've had more than enough already!

Kuzuryuu: O-Oi... Tsumiki...?

Tsumiki: It's unfair... It's unfairunfairunfairunfair... Why is it that you won't forgive me! Even though whatever you do... Is forgiven right away...! Just what did I even do! Why, why is it that nobody is forgiving me?!

Komaeda: ...And is this your plan of trying to talk your way out, I wonder? This is bothersome in its own way, huh? Plus... Frankly, I'm running short of things to say. What would be a good way to get her to acknowledge her crime... I'm still mulling over the possibilities.

Nanami: If there's no evidence... No choice but to force it out, right? I, too... Hinata and I are on the same boat. I don't want to doubt my friends... But... Somebody among us, having murdered our precious friends, is also the truth... That's why... I think we have no choice but to move forward. For the sake of breaking free from these chains of despair, that is. Hey, Tsumiki... Could you tell us one last thing? The thing about you not being the culprit... The creation of the video that Hinata saw...

Tsumiki: D-Didn't I already say that I didn't do it?!

Nanami: So... Do you have proof?

Tsumiki: P-Proof...? Then, likewise... Do you have proof that I did it? Uwaaahhn! That's right! Give me your proof! I-I-I-I mean... The thing about the video being filmed in the meeting room is only just a theory, isn't it...! W-With that sort of guess... To think that you would blame me, who was just inside the hospital, as the culprit... T-That's just ridiculous...! Even though I hadn't even done anything bad...! Why is it always just me who has to get hated by everyone?! Give it a rest, and forgive me already!

Kuzuryuu: T-That kid, is she okay...? It looks like she's emotionally losing it...!

Tsumiki: I-I... I-I'm not some culprit! That sort of video... I don't ever remember filming t-t-those kind of things before!

Nanami: But... It look like you're finally ready to counterattack. Except, where exactly are the holes in her claim... The only person who'll be the judge of that, is Hinata. That's why... I'll leave it to you one more time.

Tsumiki: Why is it that you're writing me off as the culprit? Where is the evidence? Please forgive me alreadyyyyyyyyyyyy! I'm not some culprit!

Komaeda: Being able to film that video in the meeting room... You're the only one who could've done it, you know?

Tsumiki: Huh? Do you even have proof? Is the proof the bag they wore over their head? Did the hospital gown she was wearing look suspicious? Or was it the pair of hospital slippers?

Kuzuryuu: Mioda and Tsumiki have completely different figures...

Tsumiki: Do the figures become evidence or what? Can you tell apart people's figures underneath the gowns? With just that video? With just that camera angle?!

Hinata: Tsumiki... You've made a crucial mistake...

Tsumiki: A m-mistake...?

Hinata: Even though I've said it many times up till now... The only one who had watched that video, was just me.

Tsumiki: S-So, what about it?

Hinata: But, I... Up till now, I haven't said a single thing about that video's camera angles.

Tsumiki: ...Ahhu!

Hinata: Even so, how is it that you're... As if you've seen the video, how is it that you're talking about things like "that camera angle"?

Tsumiki: ...Hiiiiiiiiuuuuuuuuuu!

Komaeda: The reason why Tsumiki knows about the angle of the camera in a video only Hinata had seen... That is, because you're the one who filmed the video... I take it that that's a good way to put it?

Nanami: That's the price to pay for lying. The more you try to desperately argue, the deep you fall into a slough... ...Tsumiki, you lied too, didn't you?

Tsumiki: ...Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiih!

Owari: Are you... For real...? Are you for real, Tsumiki? You... Were you the one who killed Saionji and Mioda?!

Tsumiki: Hic... Ahiiiiihh! P-Please forgiveeeee meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...! ...Oh, my? Ohmyohmyohmyohmyohmyohmyohmyohmyohmy? Ahh! My bad, my bad! Oh my, oh my, I mean, that's not it!

Tanaka: "That's not it"...?

Tsumiki: Aww, I mean... That's just unreasonable! Look the bag that the dead Mioda was wearing... I mean, please remember the tote bag. Powawan, I have remembered.

Souda: W-What the hell, that kid... Isn't all this starting to feel more and more like crap?

Tsumiki: That tote bag... It was the same tote bag as... The one that she had over her head in that video, wasn't it...?

Kuzuryuu: So I'm saying, why is it that you know all too much about that video, huh?!

Tsumiki: Uhu, uhu, uhuu! That kind of stuff doesn't matter either way, does it! Did you know about this? That bag, it was a limited edition item being sold at the theater, y'know? Look Hinata saw it too, didn't he? You remember that there was a Monomi motif on it, don't you? Ah, it's alright. Even if you don't remember, I do, you see. Ta-daa! That is a limited edition tote bag, and there's no doubt about it! Hye, don't you think it's impossible? Using the only singular tote bag at the same time, in both the hospital meeting room and the music club... That's obviously impossible, isn't it?! ...Which is why, you see, I didn't create that video, and I'm not the culprit either. Which is why you're gonna forgive me, right?!

Komaeda: If your inability to give up is this bad... This is despairing.

Tsumiki: Then, are you gonna forgive me now? I'm not gonna stop until you forgive me, y'know? I'm gonna explain it to you countless times until you forgive me! That bag is a goddamn limited edition item! Ehehe...! Which is why, that crime is not possible for anyone to commit...!

Owari: This kid... Has she seriously lost it...?!

Tsumiki: Are you going to forgive me? You'll forgive me, right? That's right, isn't it? Of course you'll forgive me, right? There's only one tote bag! It's impossible to use it in two places at once!

Hinata: One time... Monokuma said this to me. The person who received that tote bag, should have another one that's identical. In other words, using the bag in two different places at once isn't impossible or anything like that. So, give it a rest already with those painful, shabby excuses of yours!

Tsumiki: Why... Is it... That... W-Why is it that you're not forgiving me...? How come you won't...?

Komaeda: It seems that... You've stopped with those hissy fits now.

Tsumiki: Why is it that you all hate only me that much?! Isn't it about time you forgive me already!

Hinata: Tsumiki... It's all over now... Going over your crime from start to end, for the final time... Then, if you have no further objections to make... ...Give in already! In the end, at least, let us believe in you!

Act 1: What became the key to this case, was the security camera video that only I had witnessed. That's why... Following the flow from there, let us unravel this crime as we go. This morning, having arrived at the hospital with Tsumiki, I had noticed something in the lobby. The light on the security camera was flickering before the usual appointed time, you see. As I pressed the monitor switch, what showed up, was... It was of somebody, wearing a hospital gown and a bag over their head, about to hang themselves. Since that security camera set was originally intended for communication between the hospital and the music club... "The place in the video should be the music club"... Having thought that, I headed towards the music club right away. But, that had been the culprit's trap... In fact, that video had been taken somewhere else. With the music club camera the culprit had carried out during the night, they had everything prepared beforehand... And so... In the hospital's meeting room, they had filmed the video... Like that, they were trying to get me to misinterpret the incident as something happening in present time. That's why, in truth... At that point in time, the crime had already been committed. The person who appeared with the bag, too, was a fake that was acted out by the culprit themself.

Act 2: I, who didn't know that, went to the music club... And found the person with bag, dead, and hanging off a rope. Having become agitated upon seeing the body, I had hastily run out to call everyone else... But... That, too, was the culprit's trap. Upon tidying up the meeting room, the culprit would've been keeping watch outside the music club, huh...? And then, as if the culprit and I were taking turns... Once they had returned back inside the music club... ...They advanced into the final stage. The culprit, upon taking down the wallpaper surrounding the stage pillar, showcased Saionji's corpse from there. At the time when I first discovered the hung-up body, I couldn't have even imagined... To think they would cover the pillar with wallpaper, and that Saionji's body would be hidden inside... And then, what the culprit did next, was the disposing of the security camera used in the meeting room. The culprit destroyed the camera they had carried out, and combined it with the monitor remains at the scene. The camera that the culprit used, was originally something taken from the music club, but... At the time when the culprit carried that out, they had only disposed of the monitor. To hide the fact that only the camera was missing, that is... And lastly, the culprit turned the scene into a locked room. Snapping the drumstick that was in the storage, they left it near the music club entrance. Except, that was for the sake of misleading us into thinking that the music club was locked from the inside... But in fact, what turned the music club into a locked room was an adhesive. The culprit fixed the door in place with the adhesive, and made a deliberately closed room.

Act 3: Like that, having finished everything they needed to do, the culprit met up with Kuzuryuu, I, and others... Along with us, they opened the very entrance of the music club that they themselves sealed... They let us discover the bodies of Mioda, plus Saionji's, whose body had suddenly turned up. At that time, they pretended to be surprised, but... Thanks to their risky plan having gone smoothly, surely, they would have felt relieved inside...

Hinata: Isn't that right, Tsumiki! This is the crime that you planned, isn't it?!

Tsumiki: ...Huhu... Huhu... Huhu... Uhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhu...!

Souda: Uahh! S-She's laughing now?!

Tsumiki: Ahuu... This feels reeeeally nostalgic... This feeling... I know it weeeell... The world crumbling at my feet... The sky feeling as if it'll fall down... ...This feeling of despair!

Sonia: M-Miss Tsumiki...! You, honestly... What happened?!

Monokuma: ...Ah, before that, lend me some time!

* * *

"I think she was overacting," Shou said, "Seriously. Then again, she IS eager to return to the two people she loves more than anyone else. Ahh, I can relate..." Apollo was feeling a little nervous being near a former serial killer. "Yeah.. Anyway... Looks like it's time for another to come back." "I gotta say," Saionji said, "I have a newfound respect for Tsumiki. She went and slashed my throat with almost no hesitation. I barely felt anything." "Speak for yourself," Mioda said, "Tsumiki's not actually the strongest girl out there, so Ibuki was suffering for what felt like hours before I finally blacked out." Enoshima looked over to Tora and smiled. "It'll be great seeing her again." Tora smiled and nodded.

* * *

"It seems we've reached a conclusion," Monokuma said, "So now... It's voting time!" Soon enough, the reels landed right on Tsumiki, once again causing cheering and confetti to come out of nowhere. "Not bad!," Monokuma said with a laugh, "You've gotten it right three times in a row! Even I'm impressed! Indeed, the one who killed both victims was in fact Mikan Tsumiki." "Are you saying...," Owari said, "She nursed us with the intent to kill from the beginning...?" Komaeda shook his head. "Actually no. When this whole thing started, she was still the Mikan Tsumiki we all knew. However... Do you remember that Monokuma said the despair fever was contagious?"

Hinata gasped. "You mean...?" Komaeda nodded. "Even though the three of us were not ourselves, I'm sure Owari and Mioda were still aware of their actions. I know I was, but I can only speculate about the other two. Regardless, when I heard Monokuma say the despair fever could be spread, I took a careful look at Tsumiki the whole time she was caring for us. It wasn't easy. My unforeseen allergic reaction to the fever meant I was slipping in and out of consciousness for the last few days.

Hinata facepalmed. "I should have realized. The two times Tsumiki wound up sleeping on top of me, I remembered feeling incredibly hot. I wasn't having a fever myself. It must have been sometime before the first incident where that happened when she caught it." "I said it earlier," Komaeda said, "That the culprit this time was someone whose actions I couldn't forgive. Hanamura and Pekoyama... While it is terrible that they killed people, they at least did it out of a sense of hope. Hanamura wanted to see his mother again, and Pekoyama wanted to help Kuzuryuu escape the island. But Tsumiki... This incident was one born out of despair. And that is something I cannot forgive."

"Despair, you say?," Tsumiki said, "I'm afraid you've got it all wrong. Yes, I was hit with the despair fever, but that's not why I killed Saionji or Mioda. I wanted to see... _Them_... Again." "Them," Hinata said, "Wait... Both times we were together, you spoke of your boyfriend Tora, and this girl you briefly dated named Enoshima. Are you saying that...?" Tsumiki nodded with a smile. "They're out their, somewhere. But not here, not on this plain. I knew it, the moment I caught the fever. I remembered where they were. At first I only planned on killing Mioda, but when Saionji showed up while I was in the middle of my work... Well what could I do?"

"It must have been all too easy," Komaeda said, "After all the bullying Saionji did to you?" Tsumiki shook her head. "Surprisingly no. As much as Saionji likes to tease people, deep down I knew she never meant it. But that doesn't matter now. It's a shame... I was hoping my plan would be good enough to end this... But at least I'll have the satisfaction of returning to them." "Whatever makes you feel better," Monokuma said, "Now, if we're all done with the exposition, it's now punishment time. And I have a special punishment just our resident Super High School Level Nurse." Monokuma hit the button, causing the chain to grab Tsumiki by the waist and drag her into the execution chamber.

**Pain Pain Go Away**

Tsumiki lay on a bed. Monokuma, wearing nurse clothes, appeared with a huge syringe on his hand. He ran toward the bed and prepared to inject the liquid in the same direction. Afterwards, the bed revealed itself to be an arm-shaped rocket that was surrounded by another building, which Tsumiki sat on. As Monokuma injected the content of the syringe into the rocket, Tsumiki started to become more and more ecstatic before entering an orgasmic-like state. The rocket color changed, from light brown, to red color, and then started to launch. Monokuma hung onto the rocket with the giant syringe until the back of the rocket separated from the main body of the rocket. When the rocket launched to the space, Tsumiki closed her eyes, and kept holding onto it with her dear life. After Tsumiki safely left the earth, Monokuma then crashed to the ground below and became lodged face-first in the soil.

Monokuma returned to the trial room and began to dust himself off. "Well the was fun," Monokuma said, "I haven't had a ride like that in a while. And I'm sure the experience left Tsumiki _breathless_." He chuckled at the pun he had made. No one else was laughing. "Eh, I'm sure you guys get the joke anyway. One last thing. Follow me to the beach. I've just finished something interesting for you guys." He led them all to the beach on the first island, where they saw something completely unexpected waiting for them. "You've...," Owari said, "You've gotta be kidding me..." It was Nidai, or at least a robotic version of him. "Good to see you all again," Nidai said, "I have successfully returned from the pits of Hell!"

* * *

Back in the real world, Tsumiki was embracing Tora and Enoshima. "I'm finally back," she said, "It felt like so long." "We're glad you're okay," Enoshima said, "Once we were able to escape the academy, we were searching for you non-stop." Seeing the three of them, Iris couldn't help but giggle. "Can you believe this, Feenie? We wound up raising a philanderer." Phoenix thought about it for a second, then gave a light chuckle. "Well, he is a grown man, so he can make his own decisions." "So...," Tsumiki said, "Can we... Pick up... Where we left off...?" Tora and Enoshima looked at each other and smiled. "Sure," Enoshima said, "Why not? We got time."

To be continued...

**Yeah, fans of the game will remember that Tsumiki can be just a little horny sometimes. Anyway, read and review.**


	5. Chapter 4: High School Andriods

**Disclaimer: I don't own Dangan Ronpa or Ace Attorney.**

Chapter 4: High School Androids... Or Not

Tsumiki had been hard at work since returning from the simulation. Her medical skills had practically been pushed to their limits. But, she finally had a chance to return to Future Foundations headquarters, where a surprise awaited her. "Nidai?!," she asked in shock, "When did you get out of the simulation?" Sure enough, Nidai was sitting with some of the others checking on the state of their friends. "Around the same time you did," Nidai explained, "I guess you were so ecstatic to be reunited with Tora and Enoshima you didn't notice. Fujisaki created as virtual cyborg to take my place so Kamukura wouldn't get suspicious. All I have to do is voice it." Tsumiki nodded. "I see. Guess Fujisaki went a little overboard."

* * *

The group didn't know what to make of the now robotic Nidai. At first Souda thought it might be a costume, but attempts to take off the "mask" only resulted in pain for Nidai, showing it was real. He even proved to be nearly indestructible, successfully protecting Owari from Monokuma's wrath when she complained that the bear didn't have the right to mess with people's bodies. Before they had turned in for the night, Monokuma mentioned that killing Nidai as a robot would still count as murder, and the same would hold true should Nidai kill anyone else. Now it was morning again, and aside from Nidai's new condition everything seemed normal.

However, Hinata was reading a letter that was apparently left by Tsumiki. In it, she referenced an enemy called "Future Foundations". Nanami mentioned that the word "future" had been written on the metal door on the ruins of the second island, the ruins that looked like Hope's Peak. "Wherever she is right now," Hinata thought, "Do you think she's back with Tora and Enoshima?" Tanaka shrugged. "Possibly... Who can truly say? She seemed to think rather fondly of them. More importantly, why did she name this 'Future Foundation' as an enemy? I was under the impression that our enemy is the 'World Destroyers', since they are the ones who put us on this island."

"Actually," Sonia said, "Now that I think about it, Monokuma didn't outright say they put us on the island. He only said our being here has to do with them, and that the supposed 'traitor' in our group works for them." "Yeah, but," Souda said, "When you think about it, why would a group called 'Future Foundations' want us to go through all this? Sounds like a corporation bent on fixing things, at the very least." Monomi then showed up to mention that another Monobeast had been destroyed. "Should we really explore this new island...?," Sonia wondered, "Everytime we do, it just seems like another murder occurs."

Komaeda thought for a second. "Well, I can certainly understand that reasoning. And there's probably little chance we'll find a way to escape. But at the very least we might find more clues regarding either the World Destroyers or Future Foundations. Finding more about our enemy, or finding potential allies on the outside, could go a long way towards restoring our hope and getting us out this mess." "Is it just me," Souda said, "Or did Komaeda make sense for once?" The fourth island was one of the biggest yet, and had an entire amusement park on it, with various rides and attractions.

The first of these attractions was a haunted house, which turned out to be a redesigned version of Monomi's house. She was too embarrassed to let anyone inside. The next attraction was a giant castle called Nezumi Castle. It had a mouse motif on the front, which made Monomi and even Monokuma nervous and unable to approach. Of course, none of the students could either since the front door was locked. But while there, Nidai did discover that his new robot body could sense time due to a radio clock built into his chest. The next thing to see was a giant rollercoaster. Monokuma offered the group a file on Future Foundations if they all rode it as a group. Naturally, they all lined up to ride.

"This is so exciting!," Sonia said, "We don't have anything like these amusement parks in Novoselic, so I haven't been on a roller coaster before." "I have once," Tanaka said, "Though that was a hellish park, overrun with goblins and there ilk." Sonia's eyes lit up. "That sounds amazing! Maybe you could take me time you go." Tanaka grinned. "Perhaps, but the price of admission is the blood of a virgin. Would you offer your own blood, perhaps?" Sonia grew sullen. "That would be impossible. My blood... Is insufficient..." The others laughed at Souda's shocked expression.

The roller coaster itself was both frightening and exciting. When it was over, Monokuma handed over the file as promised. "Feel free to read it as you wish," Monokuma said, "It is yours now, after all." Komaeda opened the file and began to read. "Future Foundations... Started by American criminal defense attorney Phoenix Wright, along with his associates and closest friends, in response to The World's Most Despair-Inducing Incident. Weird, from reading this, it sounds like the organization was formed to reverse the effects of that incident." "Then why did Tsumiki refer to them as an enemy?," Tanaka asked, "Unless she was the traitor all along..."

"I really don't want to think that's the case," Komaeda said, "But this file would certainly lead one to assume that. Let's see... Recent activity... Moved to Japan in response to pirated airwaves originating from Hope's Peak Academy. Individual named Izuru Kamukura gave a broadcast stating that seventeen students were to be made examples of despair." "Sounds like that 'Usami X File' I found in Electric Alley on the third island," Hinata said, "The file said all the students escaped after killing their captor. Does that mean Kamukura is...?" Komaeda shook his head. "Kamukura is believed to still be alive somewhere. The students' captor was a neurologist and student at the academy named Yasuke Matsuda."

"Does it have anything on the students?," Owari asked. Komaeda nodded. "Let's see... Makoto Naegi, Sayaka Maizono, Kyoko Kirigiri... What the...?" He looked at the next name again. "Guys, the next name on the file is Byakuya Togami!" He showed them the picture, and sure enough, it looked very much like a slimmer version of the Togami they had known. "Come to think about it," Hinata said, "On the night Togami was killed, before the party began, I remember he and I were checking the kitchen after the incident with Hanamura's Churrasco. Togami said there were things in his past he wasn't ready to share. They must have had something to do with the events inside the academy."

"Most ironic," Tanaka said, "To have escaped death with sixteen of his fellows, only to fall prey to one desperate chef who just wanted to be reunited with his mother." "What about the rest of the students?," Souda said. Komaeda kept reading. "Chihiro Fujisaki, Kiyotaka Ishimaru, Celestia Ludenberg, Touko Fukawa, Aoi Asahina, Sakura Oogami, Hifumi Yamada, Yasuhiro Hagakure, Mondo Oowada, Leon Kuwata..." He stopped reading again. "The next one is Junko Enoshima. I wonder... Could it be the same one Tsumiki was talking about?" "Not necessarily," Nanami said, "Tsumiki spoke as if the two people she loved most were already dead. And Enoshima isn't such an uncommon name."

Komaeda nodded, and kept reading. "The last two names are Mukuro Ikusaba and... Tora Wright..." "Wright?," Souda said, "Wasn't the founder of this group named Phoenix Wright?" Komaeda nodded. "Yeah, according to the file Tora is Phoenix Wright's son. However, that's not why I paused." He showed everyone the photo, and Hinata's blood ran cold. The photo was of him, only dressed in a blue suit. "This can't be right... My name is Hajime Hinata... I know that much..." "Could it be possible your memories are so scrambled," Nidai suggested, "That you only _think_ your name is Hajime Hinata?" That thought seemed likely, even to Hinata. He knew his father was a criminal defense attorney, but couldn't remember who his father was.

Monokuma, who was still nearby, got everyone's attention. "I have a feeling you guys are trying to decide whether or not the incident at the academy is related to your time on this island. I will say that the answer is hidden in your lost memories, and the clash between Future Foundations and the World Destroyers. You see, Future Foundations' current operation is to find the fifteen missing members of the same class those seventeen students are part of. Whether or not they succeeded... I'll leave for another time. By the way, I have one more thing of interest for you all. Files revolving around each of you, from your time at Hope's Peak Academy. They're in the Surprise House just a few feet from here, but again you must enter as a group."

Hinata realized the key to his mysterious talent could be found there. If he really was Tora Wright, then that meant his talent was the Super High School Level Attorney, just like the file said Tora was supposed to be. But if the fact that Tora looked so much like him was coincidence, then perhaps his real talent was something else. "Let's go then! If those really are there... Then we may be able to recover our memories!" Some of the others seemed hesitant, but ultimately agreed to go. The only way into the Surprise House was by a train that went into a tunnel. Once they were all on and into the tunnel, Monokuma hit a button that caused the entire tunnel to fill up with a knockout gas.

When the group finally woke up, they were standing in a bright pink playground, with walls covered in monochrome pink strawberries. Hinata realized they must be inside the Surprise House. "Damn," came Kuzuryuu's voice, "The little bastard must have knocked us out with that gas before bringing us here, probably to disorient and trap us here." "You could say that," Monokuma said, "Welcome to the Strawberry House, just one part of the Surprise House. Consider it a more 'indoor' version of the hotel you've been staying at up 'til now."

He pulled out a map and began to explain. The Strawberry House had three floors, with the park they were currently in on the third floor, rooms of various quality on the second floor, and something called the "Final Dead Room" on the first floor. Also on the first floor was a corridor leading to a "Strawberry Tower". "Oh, and before I forget," Monokuma said, "I should mention that you're new motive... Is all around you. That's right, I'm making this little closed-circle mystery even more claustrophobic. When one of you commits murder, you'll all be let out, save the victim of course. Then again, I'd have to let you out anyway. After all, there's no way to access the trial room from the Surprise House."

"Curses," Nidai said, "If I hadn't fallen asleep..." "Hold on," Souda said, "You're a robot now! How on earth did that gas affect you?!" Nidai chuckled. "It didn't. But while experimenting with my new functions, I discovered I have a 'sleep mode' that can be triggered by pressing the 'Goodnight Switch' on the back of my neck. To wake up again, I simply set the alarm on my radio clock. I wound up pushing the button by mistake when the gas started up." Souda facepalmed. "Anyway, that aside," Komaeda said, "We should probably see if we can't escape here on our own. After all, if Monokuma brought us here, that means there's an entrance. And if there's an entrance, there's usually an exit."

They decided to split off into pairs while exploring. That way, in the event of a murder, it would be easier to determine the culprit. Kuzuryuu headed off with Owari, and Sonia and Tanaka left together. Souda, hesitantly, decided to join Komaeda and Nanami, admitting he was kinda doubting Hinata's integrity after earlier events. That left Hinata paired up with Nidai. Since there didn't appear to be anything of real interest on the third floor, the two of them headed for the second floor, where all the rooms were. Inside the ordinary room, Hinata could hear Kuzuryuu saying something to Owari about knowing how she feels. Something told Hinata, Kuzuryuu was talking about how similar the incident with Pekoyama and Nidai were, the only difference being Nidai was still alive, technically speaking.

Nidai actually seemed to tear up, despite being a robot, and Hinata noticed the "tears" were made of soda. "Kuzuryuu's speech just now," Nidai said, "It's a shame that woman doesn't seem to understand his words..." "Umm, Nidai...?," Hinata said, and pointed to Nidai's eyes. "Oh," Nidai said, "I almost forgot this little feature. It's a drink fountain that comes straight out of my eyes. Perfect if you get thirsty." Hinata chuckled, thinking all these add-on features were just Nidai's way of trying to be as human as possible. "That reminds me," Nidai said, "I heard that three more were lost while I was gone." Hinata nodded solemnly. "Mioda... Saionji... They were killed by the last person I would expect."

Nidai closed his eyes. "I never would have expected Tsumiki of all people to commit murder. Perhaps she truly was the traitor in our group. Yet Monokuma's game continues, meaning he's not done with us just yet." Hinata smiled. "Maybe... But you being back, even as a robot... It's almost like things are back to normal again. Still... I remember how it was before the last incident. Monokuma won't let things be peaceful like this for long." "Don't worry," Nidai said, thumping his metallic chest, "Now that I have returned, I won't allow anyone else to die." Hinata closed his eyes. "That's what Togami said, remember? And look what happened to him..."

Nidai put a hand on Hinata's shoulder. "Yes, but in my case I am capable of repelling any attack with this new form. Now come on, we have to find that exit!" Hinata nodded, and the two of them checked out the lounge that was on the same floor as the rooms. Hinata noted the clock on the wall, letting them all know the exact time, and the picture that was hung up. Hinata couldn't make out the man's name, but apparently it was the founder of Hope's Peak Academy. There was also a phone with a single button depicting muscat grapes. The phone worked, but no one was picking up on the other end.

On the first floor, Hinata noticed a giant elevator, again with a button picturing muscats. Since the other floors in the house had only stairs, Hinata thought it might lead to the basement. However, the elevator didn't seem to be working. Across from the elevator was the Final Dead Room Monokuma mentioned. The idea was that inside awaited a "Game of Death" and the person who won would gain access to the "Ultimate Weapon", inside something called the Octagon. What that was Hinata couldn't even guess. The final place to explore was the Strawberry Tower. The door to the tower had no handle, just a button on the side that said "open".

The tower itself was unremarkable, except for a door on the opposite side that had more muscats pictured on it. The tower itself was so high, it was impossible to see the ceiling. Nidai thought the muscat doors might lead to an exit, but they were locked. When Hinata and Nidai returned to tell the others about the door in the tower, they found them all in front of the elevator, Monokuma among them. Monokuma explained that the elevator was a "connecting elevator" which ran on rails, meaning it didn't simply move up and down. He also said it lead to another building, called the Muscat House.

The elevator seemed quiet for a while, then opened up to a neon green building with muscats plastered all over the walls. Monokuma explained that, other than the Final Dead Room, the Muscat House had all the same things as the Strawberry House. There was also a Monokuma Museum on the third floor, which supposedly held all of Monokuma's greatest feats. "So...," Monokuma said, "Any questions?" "Yeah," Owari said, "Where's the food?" "Oh, that," Monokuma said with a grin, "I thought it'd be better if I set a time limit for this escape game, so the time limit is your own biological clock." Everyone gasped. "Are you saying you plan to starve us unless a murder happens?!," Kuzuryuu said angrily.

"You betcha," Monokuma said, "Better get to it before you're too weak to even try." And with that, he disappeared. After a bit of complaining on Owari's part, the group decided to split up and continue exploring, using the same teams as before. Souda would have preferred going with Sonia, but she had disappeared with Tanaka already, much to everyone else's amusement. "Alright Nidai," Hinata said, "Let's start with Muscat Tower and work our way up." "A rewind of our trip through the Strawberry House," Nidai said, "Sounds efficient. Let's begin." However, while there was a button to open the door to the Muscat Tower, it didn't seem to open.

"That's odd," Nidai said, "The same button worked on the Strawberry House side." Just as he was thinking this, the door suddenly opened. "Look at that," Hinata said, "Maybe the wiring in this one is just faulty. Perhaps Souda can take a look at it later, when he's not pining over Sonia..." He grinned at that thought, as did Nidai. The Muscat Tower looked identical to the Strawberry Tower, and Hinata started to get the impression that the lights on the floor were causing an illusion that made the tower look so tall the ceiling couldn't be seen. And sure enough, on the opposite side of the tower was a set of doors with a strawberry pictured on it.

Before Nidai could try it, the others all made their way into the tower. One by one they each gave their reports. First, there was a phone in the Muscat Tower's lounge similar to the one in the Strawberry House, and it seemed likely the two phones were connected. Second, Tanaka did find the Hope's Peak files, but only for the students who had already passed on, and even then parts of the files were censored out, meaning not much information could be gleaned from them beyond what they already knew, which meant Monokuma had lured them into a trap. Third, the Monokuma Museum seemed more tailored to Monokuma's failures than his successes. Specifically, how he failed to get the students from the academy incident to kill each other.

"From what I gathered," Komaeda said, "It seems that Monokuma's failure the first time around was due to a 'domino effect'. After Tora prevented Kuwata from killing Maizono, things kept going up from there as each planned murderer wound up preventing the next murder down the line. So Hinata, does that ring any bells?" Hinata thought for a bit, but his mind drew a blank. Finally, Nanami mentioned that, due to the relative positions of the buildings in the maps, that the Strawberry Tower and Muscat Tower were in fact the same building. To preserve the illusion, the lights in the tower would glow red or green depending on which side was open, and the doors were set up to open one at a time.

"I saw the doors to the Strawberry Tower slide shut on there own," Nanami explained, "When I went back there thinking we missed something." "That was probably around the same time me and Hinata tried entering the Muscat Tower," Nidai said. Komaeda nodded. "I guess we should have known. This is a Surprise House, so there had to be some sort of trick to it." To test their theory, they Decided to leave something in the tower. At first they thought of leaving one of their group behind, but Nidai said he could detect motion sensors in the tower, so strong even the motor in his body would set it off. So they left Nanami's ElectroiD in the tower, then headed over to the Strawberry House side. Sure enough, it was still there.

"I guess it wouldn't be much of a Surprise House if the exit was so easy to find," Hinata said. Just then Nidai started looking around. "That's odd. Why has the nighttime announcement not come on? It's 10 PM now, so we should have heard it." At that moment, Monokuma showed up again. "I decided to put the announcements on hold. Since you can't tell whether it's day or night in here, why bother? Don't worry though, I have something else in mind to keep you guys on the schedule you've come to rely on so much." "Big deal," Kuzuryuu said, "We can just look at the clocks. There's one on the first floor and lounge of each house, so telling time won't be an issue. Besides, if we're really desperate, we can just ask Nidai."

"Since it's so late at night," Komaeda said, "We should get some rest. We'll need to conserve our energy anyway, since there's no food. We'll have to assign rooms. According to the map, there are five rooms in each house." "Let's have the girls in on one side and boys on the other," Nanami said, "That'll make things easier. Personally, I'd like the girls to have the Muscat House. Red makes my eyes hurt." Komaeda shrugged. "I guess that's fine. Oh yeah, the rooms are also divided in class, right? Two luxury rooms, one ordinary room, and two poor rooms."

"Hold on," Souda said, "There are only five rooms, and six guys. That leaves one guy out. How do we choose who doesn't get a room?" They decided on a rock, paper, scissors match. Naturally, with his luck, Komaeda won first, with Tanaka winning second. As such, they got the luxury rooms. Nidai got third, so he got the ordinary room. Hinata got dead last, so Souda and Kuzuryuu got the poor rooms. Meanwhile, the girls had simply talked it out. Sonia and Nanami got the luxury rooms, while Owari got the one of the poor rooms. Since they had two rooms left over on their side, the girls decided to let Hinata stay in one of the remaining rooms. He decided on the poor one. And with that, everyone went off to sleep.

* * *

"Well this was fun," Enoshima said. Nidai nodded. "We already have plans to take that fake out of the picture, correct?" Tora nodded. "He already knows what to do, but needs time to set it up." "Ahh, the Strawberry House," Tsumiki said, a dreamy look on her face, "Such memories. Remember that time when we went to Jabberwock Island for real?" Enoshima giggled. "Hey Tsumiki sweetie... You're drooling." Tsumiki realized Enoshima was right and quickly wiped her mouth with a napkin. Apollo's eye twitched. "Is she always like this?" Tora nodded with a smile. "Yeah, but it's not as annoying as you'd think. I mean, she's nowhere near as bad as..." He shot a glare at Hanamura, who simply looked confused.

* * *

After Hinata woke up, he checked the lounge to make sure it was morning. Sure enough, he had gotten up at around 6:30 AM. Hinata remembered that the previous night before falling asleep, Monokuma had said something about giving the students the means to keep their energy up without food, which would take place at seven in the morning. He headed down to the Muscat Tower, where the meeting was supposed to take place. As it turned out, Monokuma's idea for keeping everyone's energy up was Tai Chi exercises. However, it only served to make everyone, save Nidai, who technically didn't need to eat, feel hungrier.

Hinata realized they only had two options, find an exit, or have someone commit murder. Then he got an idea. Perhaps, in fact, the Final Dead Room was where the exit was. He decided to head over there and try it. But before he could get the doors open, Nanami stopped him. "Hold on," she said, "I know you're only trying to find the way out. But that room will only lead to one of Monokuma's traps... Just a weapon he wants used against another student. Do you really want something like that?" Hinata hesitated, then pulled away from the door. "You're right... I'm just getting so weak I..." Nanami nodded. "I understand. Come on, let's get some sleep."

* * *

Fujisaki breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. If he only realized. That Find Dead Room actually IS the way out of the Surprise House. We figured that out quickly due to how out of place it was." Mioda giggled. "It sure was fun spending the night there though. I guess the folks who built it thought some people might not find their way out so quickly." Tsumiki looked a little worried. "How are they getting the nutrition they require?" Gumshoe tapped a series of tubes that led into the chambers where their friends were held. "These tubes transfer all the nutrients the occupant needs via blood transfusion. Of course, unless you're actually eating something in the virtual world, you're body will start to _think_ it's starving. So we had to make some modifications to compensate." Nidai saw his first-person camera go static. "We won't have to worry about that anymore."

* * *

The next morning, at nearly five minutes to seven, Hinata, feeling weaker than ever, dragged himself out of bed and made his way to the Muscat Tower. When he opened the doors, he beheld a sight that suddenly made him forget all about his hunger. Nidai's body lay on the floor, his head smashed in and his body partially disassembled. As shocking as it seemed to be, somehow someone had manged to kill Nidai... This time for real. There would be no coming back from this one. Hinata, more from shock than hunger, dropped to his knees, his body trembling. All he could say was, "How...? Who...? Why...?"

* * *

"And that's that," Nidai said, "Won't need to worry about that loose end." He put down the headset he had been using to control the virtual robot, a creation of Fujisaki. 'I still think it's a waste of programming data,' Alter Ego said, 'Creating something that sophisticated only to have it destroyed?' "It's a little different from you, Alter Ego," Tora said, "The Robo-Nidai had no consciousness or self-awareness. It relied solely on the real Nidai to function. Kinda like a gaming avatar. You, on the other hand, are self-aware to the point where you could be considered human. In fact, ever since you were created you've become one of our dearest friends." 'Really?,' Alter Ego said, 'That's so cool. Oh yeah, we have a mystery to get through, don't we?'

* * *

'A body has been discovered. A school trial will commence after a short period of time. Make the most of it to discover who killed the victim.' Monokuma had said that killing Nidai, even as a robot, would count as a murder. Somehow, it almost felt like foreshadowing. Realizing the body discovery announcement meant at least two other people had to be behind him, Hinata turned around. Sure enough, the girls were there, their expressions almost mirroring his own. Owari, overcome with grief, ran over to the body. She gently picked up Nidai's detached head and began sobbing. "It's not fair... He had just come back... I still didn't... Get to repay him for what he did..." And with that, she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Good grief," Monokuma said as he appeared, "And after the trouble I went through to remake him like this. I built him to last, and he goes and dies almost a week later." "So...," Sonia said, "There's nothing you can do this time...?" Monokuma shook his head. "If his head was still attached, I could probably reboot the system. Either way, there are different circumstances here. Last time I could actually agree when you said it was my fault. I might have been a little overboard with that bazooka. But this time the culprit is one you guys." He looked. "Speaking of... Where's everyone else? Hmm, they must still be in the Strawberry House. They should have heard the announcement, I wonder why they aren't here yet."

He pulled out the Monokuma File and some sandwiches. "Now that a murder has been committed, there's no need to starve you guys anymore. Besides, you'll need your strength for the investigation. And here's your next Monokuma File. Be sure to save some of those sandwiches for the others." Hinata didn't care what was in the sandwich he ate. To him, it might as well have been his absolute favorite. It was just good to get some food in his body. After washing down their food with some of the water Monokuma also brought, they decided to get started without the others.

"One clue before I set off," Monokuma said, "I'm kinda surprised about something. Somehow everyone wound up playing hooky for my Tai Chi lessons. Oh well, nothing I can do under the circumstances." Hinata wondered what he meant. "Hmm," Owari said, "You guys hear something?" The others shook their heads. Owari shrugged. "Oh well, I guess it's not important." Hinata and the girls got the investigation started and learned the following:

-According to the Monokuma File, Nidai was found inside the Muscat Tower of the Surprise House. His head had suffered breakage beyond repair, confirming death. In addition, his hands and feet had somehow been ripped out, despite being designed for easy removal. Great force appears to have been used. There were also multiple depressions and scratches all over his body. Various functions stopped working following the event.

-Nidai's body had been wrapped in metal wire, one end of which was tied in a loop.

-Hinata spotted a button near the base of Nidai's neck, and realized it had to be the Goodnight Switch he was talking about earlier. Clearly it had been used to render him unconscious while the culprit did their work, but that still meant they had caught Nidai by surprise in the first place.

-There was oil on the floor near where Nidai's head had been separated from his body.

-Owari remembered last night that she had heard some sort of earthquake noise, but no shaking. She got out of her room to investigate, but went back in when she saw no one else had come out. She did note, however, that the time she poked her head out of her room was 5:30 in the morning.

-Nanami noted that pieces of the nearby column, which had fallen over, were found underneath Nidai. However, there was no rubble on top of him.

-When Hinata checked out the fallen column, he saw oil on the top of it. Thinking it might be the murder weapon, Owari got Hinata to try lifting it with her. However, it proved to heavy for even two people to lift.

- A very large hammer lay near Nidai's body. Sonia thought it might be the murder weapon, but Hinata noted there was no oil on it. What was really weird is where it came from, since this time the culprit didn't have access to the supermarket.

-For some reason, the door to the Strawberry House was chained up and padlocked.

-Meanwhile on the Strawberry House side, Komaeda decided to do some investigating of his own. Establishing a timeline with Tanaka, Kuzuryuu, and Souda, Komaeda noted something odd. Last night at around 5:30, the alarm clock on the wall in the lounge went off, much to the surprise of Kuzuryuu, who was already there. Tanaka and Souda heard it too, though Komaeda couldn't remember hearing it. Also, after the alarm stopped, a noise like an earthquake could be heard, though there was no vibration.

-According to Kuzuryuu, he couldn't sleep due to hunger and wound up spending time in the lounge. At exactly five o'clock he spotted Nidai heading down to the first floor, though he didn't why he would be up so early.

-Souda noted that the elevator only seemed to be busted on the Muscat House side. Someone had managed to open the control panel on that end and disable the safety switch, preventing the elevator from moving.

-Komaeda noted the broken button for the Strawberry Tower Door. Remembering that Hinata said it was also chained from the other side, Komaeda couldn't help but think it was overkill.

Komaeda then entered the Final Dead Room. Inside, after a series of puzzles, a panel in the room opened to reveal a revolver loaded with six bullets. Apparently, the name of the game was Russian Roulette, with the player allowed to make their own rules. Feeling the normal rule of a single bullet, leaving a one in six chance of failure, was too boring, Komaeda left in five bullets to make it a one in six chance of success. He still won, and gained access to the octagon. Inside, Monokuma gave him a secondary file on Future Foundations, as well the unaltered version of the students' Hope's Peak files, including the ones for those still alive. The things Komaeda saw in there made him glad Hinata didn't get his hands on it. He looked up to one of the cameras in the Octagon. "I know you can see me, Tora. Thanks for this. I'll put it to good use."

-Back in the Muscat House, Nanami and Hinata were wondering what to do when suddenly Komaeda popped up out of nowhere.

-Komaeda then shared what he had found during with his investigation with Hinata.

"One more thing," Komaeda said, "I beat the final dead room. Turned out it was a simple escape game followed by Russian Roulette. Granted I made it harder than it should be, but because of that I got an interesting file. A supplementary report on the incident at Hope's Peak Academy. While there were no actual murders, the incidents were pre-planned. And it seems there are some parallels between those pre-planned incidents and our situation here. In the first incident, there was meant to be an unexpected victim in an unexpected location."

"Like when Togami was found stabbed to death under the table in the old lodge," Nanami realized. Komaeda nodded. "The second incident was meant to revolve around a serial killer, just like when Pekoyama pretended to be Kirakira-chan. And then in the third incident there was meant to be two murders." "Tsumiki wound up killing two people," Hinata said, "What was the fourth incident supposed to be?" "The fourth incident was meant to be a suicide," Komaeda said, "Whether or not Nidai actually killed himself, I couldn't say. But it does seem like Monokuma is trying to make up for his failures last time." He then pulled out another file.

"This file was also given to me," he explained, "Hinata, it contains the secret of your hidden talent. And... It's rather interesting. You see, at first you _weren't_ a Super High School Level student." "What?!," Hinata said in surprise. "Now, now," Komaeda said, "I said 'weren't'. Apparently you are one now. You see, at first you were a student at Hope's Peak Prep School. But then, you partook in something called the 'Ultimate Hope Project'. It was meant to give you a special talent so you could be counted as a regular student. It worked, and you became the Super High School Level Scholar. It would explain how easy it's been for you to solve each mystery so far."

"Hold on," Hinata said, "It's great that I know my talent now, but I've read all about that prep school in the Usami X File. You're supposed to pay some sort of fee to get in." "It would explain why you took that project," Komaeda said, "If you became a normal student, which you apparently did, then the school would have to pay you to attend, rather than the other way round. Anyway, I guess that gets rid of my philosophy. I always thought you had to born with talent, but it seems I was wrong." "Was there anything about the rest of us?," Nanami asked, "Anything that could help our memories?" Komaeda shook his head. "Just some regular reports regarding our talents. Come to think of it, the file didn't even say _when_ Hinata took the Ultimate Hope Project."

"Speaking of that," Nanami said, "If you cleared the Final Dead Room, that means you got into the Octagon, right?" Komaeda nodded. "There were a lot of weapons in there, ranging from simple swords and axes, to guns and rocket launchers, even refrigerators that had poison stored in them. But I don't think any of them would qualify as an 'Ultimate Weapon'. Anyway, Souda should be finished with the elevator about now. I gave him my Swiss Army Knife to speed up the repair, and also asked him to check the orientation of the compass on it while he was on the elevator. I should head down and take a look at the crime scene. Oh, and Hinata... One last thing."

Hinata looked at him intently. "I found something regarding you and Tora Wright," Komaeda said, "It seems... Tora Wright is your brother." As Komaeda left, the shock of those words hit Hinata hard. "So... That's why the two of us look so similar." Nanami wondered. "Could it be that you two are twins or something?" Hinata shook himself. "However you look at it, I guess I should be thankful Komaeda found those files. Even it did turn out I used to be an average high school student, there's nothing average about me now. And Super High School Level Scholar has a nice ring to it."

-Back outside the Muscat Tower, Souda gave Komaeda the results of the experiment. It seemed that, for some reason, the compass had been spinning 180 degrees during the elevator ride. That meant the elevator had to have been spinning that way as well.

-Souda got to work analyzing Nidai's body. He managed to get the chest popped open, revealing the radio clock. Due to malfunctions caused by Nidai's death, the clock had stopped at 7:30 AM. The built in alarm was set for the same time.

-Hinata realized something was wrong with the time on Nidai's clock in relation to the clocks in the Surprise House. Specifically, the fact that the other clocks were two hours behind Nidai's. Since Nidai was using a radio clock, that meant his clock had the correct time.

-Komaeda found what looked like a door handle under the fallen column. It had been pulled out at the root, and the tip of the handle looked scratched. What was weird was it didn't look like it came from the door to the Strawberry House.

-Komaeda got Souda to use some of Nidai's robot parts to fix the button to the door in the Strawberry Corridor. For reason, even though the other end was chained, the door still opened. Even stranger, everything inside was exactly as it was in the Muscat Tower, when logically, knowing what they did about the Surprise House, the crime scene have been reversed. Also, the door to the Muscat Corridor had a handle missing.

Komaeda looked at Hinata as he thought about the case. "Ah, perhaps your new-found knowledge of your talent is causing your brain to think even harder, right?" "Hold on," Souda said, "Are you saying Hinata remembered what his talent is?" Hinata looked at Komaeda for a second, then said, "Sort of. Komaeda found a file for me from Hope's Peak. It listed my talent as 'Super High School Level Scholar'." "Really?," Sonia said, "With the way you've been solving cases, I would have pegged it as detective. Then again, that was Kirigiri, wasn't it?"

'Okay everyone,' came Monokuma's voice over the monitor, 'You're investigation time is up. Now, to leave the Surprise House, simply use the connecting elevator. I've unlocked an extra button that will take you to the trial room. From there, once the trial is complete, you can return to the islands as normal.' The students got into the elevator. Sure enough, there was another button with Monokuma's face on it. While heading down, Hinata turned to Komaeda. "You know, there can be no true hope from killing." Komaeda looked at him, confused. "But isn't that the natural way of things? Strong hope beast weak hope... That's how it works."

Hinata shook his head. "There is no 'strong' or 'weak' with hope. There is only hope and despair. And if hope is weak, it can only get stronger. Otherwise despair will swallow it." "Wow...," Komaeda said, "Such a rebuttal can only come from someone named the 'Super High School Level Scholar'. I see the Ultimate Hope Project served you well. From stepping stone of hope to a bringing of hope yourself. Perhaps then, my hope is far too weak... And is even now being swallowed by despair." For once, Hinata couldn't help but feel sympathy. "Let's get this trial first. Then we can work on preventing any further murders." But Hinata couldn't help but smile at his newfound confidence.

* * *

_'It's starting to work,'_ Tora thought, _'I can almost see him back to his normal self. But now there's going to be a problem. Soon enough Hajime's mind will start battling with that of Izuru Kamukura. Kamukura... He made Hope's Peak. He was a genius ahead of his time. Why would someone who created a school where hope could be bred want to plunge the entire world into despair? He even got help from Matsuda, who's father is a respected police detective, to follow in his footsteps. Hajime... My brother. I've gotten my parents back, the two women I love back, many of friends back. But you are the one I want back the most.'_

* * *

Monokuma: Everyone! Even though you must be hungry, let's give it our all! To those who make it out safely, a luxurious meal shall be rewarded. Rabbit curry, should I say!

Monomi: Eh? The ingredient wouldn't be me, would it?

Owari: The reason why I'm still here right now... Is thanks to that old guy Nidai sacrificing his body... To protect me... The revenge is mine to take! I'll definitely catch that culprit! ...Got it? It ain't 'cause the curry got me hooked or anything!

Sonia: M-Miss Owari! You're salivating quite the impressive amount!

Kuzuryuu: Oi... How about we start discussing the flow of events first? Since we couldn't get out of the Strawberry House, we couldn't quite grasp the exact situation...

Sonia: Um... The time we discovered Mr. Nidai's body, was a little before 7 in the morning. We headed for the Muscat Tower to take part in Monokuma Tai Chi, and ended up witnessing the body. ...Mr. Hinata and Miss Nanami were there too, yes?

Souda: Hinata, that bastard... Was he with Lady Sonia and Nanami _that_ early in the morning? N-No way?! Since last night, the three of you...?!

Sonia: You insolent thing! I am not a woman who would stoop to such a low level!

Souda: So close! Go up a little further.

Owari: But... You guys sure got there fast.

Hinata: We just ran into each other by chace on the first floor of the Muscat House, and headed for the tower together, is all...

Sonia: Like so... The three of us came to discover Mr. Nidai's body.

Nanami: Immediately after the body discovery announcement... Owari, who heard the announcement, came running over, right?

Kuzuryuu: If you're talking about the body discovery announcement, we heard it too... Although at the Strawberry House, of course. Well, knowing that the connection elevators were broken, we couldn't do anything but to sit around and wait...

Souda: Which is why, we though we might as well go to the tower first, so we all headed for the Strawberry Corridor, except... Even the Strawberry Corridor switch was outta order. Thanks to that, we couldn't move a muscle.

Tanaka: Assuming that we would _at least_ be able to initiate communication, we dialed the phone in the lounge.

Owari: Enough with the dull stuff, let's get to discussing the culprit! ...Well, it'd be some Strawberry House guy anyway, but yeah!

Souda: What's with the "anyway"!

Owari: No way a girl could kill someone so cruelly, so... In that case, who else could it be than someone from the Strawberry House. Oi! If you don't 'fess up now, I'll snap everyone's spines in half!

Souda: _You're_ the most cruel person here, y'know!

Nanami: Well, that's about as far as we'll go with the comedy duo debates. It's about time we start thinking things over properly. We don't have time to sit around making idle talk. The case this time around is full of unanswered questions, after all.

Sonia: Rather than "full of unanswered questions"... For me, there's nothing _but_ unanswered questions.

Souda: Then, in order to make it easier for Lady Sonia, how about we start from the easiest topic first... The weapon!

Komaeda: ...Huh?

Souda: I mean... The weapon is already definite, right?

Komaeda: ...Huh?

Souda: W-What the... I mean, the weapon... Shouldn't the first glance make it obvious...?

Kuzuryuu: Shall we make the weapon clear first...?

Souda: The weapon fell right there at the scene, smack dab in the middle!

Owari: ...That column, right?

Souda: Wrong, I mean the hammer! With the hammer on the floor at the scene, the culprit... Had bashed the hell outta Nidai!

Hinata: No... For me, I don't think the hammer is the weapon.

Souda: Then think! Why do ya not think, huh?!

Hinata: From the late Nidai's body, much like a human's blood, there were large masses of oil flowing out, right? If the hammer was the weapon used to bash Nidai, it's be weird if there were no traces of oil tobe found on it.

Kuzuryuu: But, that hammer was spotless... So, that means you can't imagine it's be the weapon, huh?

Souda: Somethin' like that... For all we know, the culprit could've wiped the oil off afterwards, right...?

Nanami: ...What for?

Souda: That's... To hide the fact that the hammer's the weapon...

Kuzuryuu: Then, no point in just wiping the oil off. If they didn't wanna get suspected, they would've just gotten rid of the hammer itself.

Owari: Nice one, teeny gangster!

Kuzuryuu: T-Teeny gangster... Me?!

Souda: Just sayin'... I was only just testing you guys... I just thought that, maybe... What if you guys had misinterpreted that hammer as the weapon, so...

Tanaka: ...It was a waste of time.

Sonia: If so, what was the actual weapon used to murder Mr. Nidai?

Kuzuryuu: Yeah, that's the problem here... At the scene, there wasn't anything that seemed likely to be a weapon.

Nanami: If that's so, how about we think over it from another angle? Since there's no oil on it, it's not the weapon... From another angle, something with oil on it _would_ be the weapon, right?

Hinata: The only thing with oil on it at the scene was the column that fell over, y'know?

Owari: Then, that column's the weapon! That old guy Nidai got beaten to death with that column!

Tanaka: Were one to get hit with the column, they wouldn't last... Unless you muscle operation is not at 100% out of 100%, using that as a weapon is out of the question!

Owari: W-Why...?

Hinata: But, Owari... You and I tested it out together, right?

Owari: Yeah... True, that column really _was_ hella heavy... But still, surely there's one guy who could have picked that up!

Kuzuryuu: Huh? Who are you talking about?

Owari: The robot version of that old guy Nidai! With his transcending powers, things like columns would be a piece of cake!

Kuzuryuu: He picked it up and then... What? Are you saying he hit himself with that column...?

Tanaka: In other words... Nidai committed suicide?

Owari: Don't say such stupid things! He ain't the type of guy who'd go and do stuff like killing himself!

Souda: Then, Nidai picking the column up and all... Doesn't that have basically nothing to do with the case at hand?

Owari: Well... Sounds about right...

Souda: ...The hell's with that!

Kuzuryuu: But, what now...? If even the column with oil on it isn't it, then I can't think of anything else that could be a weapon, y'know?

Sonia: Um... Even if you don't pick anything up, I do believe there is a way to use the column as a weapon...

Owari: Eh? You serious?!

Sonia: Seriously... I think.

Owari: I see... As I thought, my sixth sense was right... Alright! We're leaving this to Sonia! Show us proof that the column's the weapon!

Sonia: I understand. Then, muster the fighting spirit... Sonia, blast off! There is no need to lift the column!

Tanaka: Were such events to be fulfilled... Hitting with that is a dream within a dream.

Sonia: How about supposing that the column was knocked over?!

Hinata: If you were to knock the column over onto Nidai, there should be column debris on top of his body, right?

Sonia: Eh? Column debris...?

Hinata: Even though the column debris was scattered underneath Nidai's body, there wasn't any on top of his body... If the column got knocked over and had hit him, contrarily, the debris should scatter on top of his body.

Nanami: I also doubted that method for a moment, but... As I thought, I think that's not it.

Sonia: I-Is that so... It's my... Carelessness to blame...

Owari: If even knocking it over isn't it... How did the culprit kill Nidai with that column?

Souda: How long are you gonna drag on about that column? Just give it up already!

Owari: H-How can I just give it up...? Nidai got killed with that column... No doubt about it...

Kuzuryuu: ...Why is there no doubt about it?

Owari: For some reason... I just get that kinda feeling...

Souda: For some reason, she says... Isn't that just a hunch...?

Komaeda: ...But, we can't write off that hunch as faulty, right? If we're talking ways to kill someone with a column, there are more methods. It's just that you guys haven't realized...

Sonia: I-Is that true?!

Tanaka: If so, I shall ask you... What would those methods be?

Komaeda: You guys... Honestly never change... You guys can't even doors to the future through your own powers, and all you guys do is simply just _stand_ there... It's a waste of your talents! Saying that you're going to stand up to the World Destroyers like that, you make me laugh!

Souda: W-What did you say...?!

Komaeda: Is what I say, but... I'd rather pass dying a part of your little gang, so I have no choice but to lend you guys a hand.

Kuzuryuu: Hey, Komaeda... Are you trying to pick a fight? 'Til only recently... You were basically a stalker, you dumbfuck...

Komaeda: It served as a good lesson. That there's no cure for ignorance...

Kuzuryuu: ...What? What do you mean?

Owari: Enough with that stuff, hurry up and tell us already! What are the ways you can kill someone with a column?

Komaeda: You know... It's no good with just a column. Only by adding something to it, will this method be barely valid.

Tanaka: ...Something?

Komaeda: It's... The ultimate weapon, of course.

Hinata: T-The ultimate weapon?!

Souda: That's... Can't you only get that by clearing the Final Dead Room?

Sonia: So, Mr. Komaeda, you know what that ultimate weapon is?

Komaeda: Of course I know, but... You guys are all looking at it, y'know?

Hinata: We're all... Looking at it...?

Tanaka: Is that so... You're all taking a good look at it. Why so, is because the ultimate weapon is but a title referring to I, the wicked soul! The one who cuts down the turbidity overflowing from the haughty catalyst, with the blade fated for victory... For I, who is addressed as such, the title of the ultimate weapon is but befitting...!

Sonia: No, Mr. Tanaka, who tame the Four Dark Gods of Destruction as he pleases, is _so_ much cooler than any ultimate weapon!

Tanaka: Mm... I-Is that so...!

Souda: I don't... Like this...

Kuzuryuu: Stop changing the subject, and give it to us straight... What is this ultimate weapon?

Komaeda: For the sake of properly uncovering that as well, first we need to unravel the secret of the Surprise House, shouldn't we?

Owari: Huh? The secret of the Surprise House?

Komaeda: Have you _still_ not realized? Get a hold of yourself... You guys are supposed to be the symbols of hope, right?

Sonia: In any case... We just have to make it loud and clear the reason why the Surprise House is surprising, don't we? If so, I have an idea. Frankly, the layout of the Surprise House! The Strawberry Tower you get to from the Strawberry House, and the Muscat Tower you get to from the Muscat House... Truthfully, they're the same building, and the two houses are connected with the tower as the central point. This kind of Ultra C-like layout is, without a doubt, the secret of the Surprise House!

Souda: ...Oh man, not only that flawless logic, but Lady Sonia's beautiful voice, too... They're honestly the best medicine, aren't they!

Sonia: Of course! Please take appropriate action! The Strawberry Tower and the Muscat Tower... Were actually located in the same place!

Hinata: Those two towers... I wonder if they really are located in the same place?

Sonia: W-Why do you say such things after all this time... Do you hold some resentment and will to destroy my country?

Souda: Hinata, I won't forgive any rebelling!

Hinata: But... Don't you think it's weird? When we went to the Muscat Tower through the Muscat Corridor, Nidai's body was in front of the Strawberry Corridor door... Afterwards, when we went to the Strawberry Tower through the Strawberry Corridor, the had been moved to the front of the Muscat Corridor, right?

Souda: That's... The floor either did a 180 or something... It's just that there's that kinda gimmick, is all! If that's right, then look! The thing about being in the same place works, right?!

Komaeda: ...So what if it works? Thinking that such a simple answer would be correct... Are you even thinking straight?

Kuzuryuu: You mean, that's not it...?

Komaeda: ...Oh, did I end up making an unnecessary contribution?

Hinata: If the floor didn't rotate, then that's going up a step further. We need to think over the building layouts as a whole, once more...

Sonia: Then, what do you think of this inference? Who moved Mr. Nidai's body, that is!

Hinata: Was it somewhere between the time we took to travel to the Strawberry Tower from the Muscat Tower...? But, I'm sure everyone traveled together. How would anyone be able to move the body inside the tower...?

Sonia: Then, it was Mr. Monokuma's doing! Between the time we took to travel, Mr. Monokuma diligently moved the body!

Hinata: Nidai's body isn't the only thing that was moved, you know. Are you saying that Monokuma moved the fallen column, too?

Sonia: If it's too heavy to move... You could roll it... If there's no bread, eat a snack and call it a day! They're the same thing! If it's simply moving the body or an object... There are always methods of doing so! For the column, you can always just roll it... As for Mr. Nidai, you can divide his parts and move them! It's Mr. Monokuma's doing, and that is final!

Hinata: Be it the column or the body, moving them in such a short time... Even for Monokuma, wouldn't that be difficult?

Sonia: Mr. Hinata, you've forgotten, haven't you? Mr. Monokuma is surprisingly quite the beast in terms of power! Were he to have the powers of a robot bear from the future... Be it columns or bodies, everything in the crime scene he could...

Hinata: Be it the body, or the column... Something with a shape is another story, but moving spilled oil on the floor is impossible!

Sonia: ...Ehh?

Hinata: At that time, what was moved wasn't _just_ the body or the column, but the oil around Nidai's body, too. Being able to move the oil on the floor so flawlessly, it's impossible no matter how you look at it, right?

Kuzuryuu: If so... The thought of it being moved probably sounds impossible...

Sonia: M-My sincere apologies! I ended up getting far too passionate!

Sonia: I-It's alright! Since a passionate Lady Sonia is wonderful, too!

Owari: So, what the end of the story? Are you saying that the two towers ain't the same building?

Nanami: Hmm... Can't say that's right, either. Not as long as only the experiment of leaving the ElectroiD in the tower succeeded brilliantly, right?

Owari: Yeah, the ElectroiD had properly stayed in place. Which is why we had thought of the two towers as the same building.

Souda: If the building ain't different or the same... What do you mean?

Nanami: Mmmmm...

Kuzuryuu: Tch, can't even take a guess, huh...?

Hinata: Hey... Komaeda...

Komaeda: That's what I thought. "Wouldn't it be about time I had my turn", that is. Alright, for the purpose of uncovering the secret of the Surprise House, I'll let you in on a hefty hint!

Souda: Not some hint, spill the beans on the _answer!_

Komaeda: There's no meaning to that. You guys have to properly see this trial through to the end. ...Since it's what I, too, need in order to determine things.

Owari: But, you sure that this hint's the real deal? The fact that only _you_ know about this is suspicious, y'know.

Komaeda: There's a proper reason for that. The fact that only I know about it... Is because only I had gone and taken such action.

Hinata: You're talking about the Final Dead Room, right? After you cleared the game there, you found something out?

Komaeda: That's right... What I saw there becomes a hint. Inside the Final Dead Room, there was a hidden building surrounded by concrete, you see... In there... There was simply one small and meaningful window standing there in solitude. From that window... I witnessed a very strange sight.

Nanami: ...A strange sight?

Komaeda: Rather than explaining it through my mouth, is might be faster to just see it for yourselves. Ideally, there was a decent camera in the Final Dead Room...

Tanaka: Have you taken any footage?

Komaeda: Well... ...Here, this is it. Shall I explain it once more... What I have recorded here is the Strawberry House's first floor... That I took from the Final Dead Room's hidden building. Then... Isn't it weird? If the Surprise House's layout was as everyone thought 'til now... With this photo... There are a few things that don't match up, right? Then, shall we start. Thinking time... That is.

Hinata: If the Surprise House's layout was a how we had thought it would be up 'til now... The Muscat House and the Strawberry House were connected with the tower as the center. In other words, were we to look out from the Strawberry House, we should see the Muscat House through the tower. But, in this photo, nothing's on the other side of the tower... There's not even a single trace of the Muscat House.

Komaeda: I see... But, is that the only thing?

Hinata: This photo was taken inside the Final Dead Room, right? So... That place is in the Strawberry House's first floor, isn't it...

Komaeda: Yeah, probably.

Hinata: Then... This is weird. No matter how you look at it, this photo wasn't taken from the first floor. This must have been taken someplace much higher.

Komaeda: That's right, everything is correct. If we organize things a bit... The truth that this photo tells us is as follows. The Strawberry House's first floor is up somewhere high, also, there's no such thing as a Muscat House on the other side.

Tanaka: There's no Muscat House? That's an apparition that Monokuma's Evil Eye showed us... Is that what you mean?

Komaeda: ...From here onward, think for yourselves. Since you guys are now on the same page as I am. If you guys are the true symbols of hope... A puzzle at this kind of level, you guys should be able to easily crack. And Hinata, has one more hint.

Hinata: You're talking about that time you suddenly appeared out of nowhere on the second floor of the Muscat House, right?

Komaeda: Just hearing you out for reference, but... At that time, where do you think I showed up from?

Nanami: ...From upstairs?

Komaeda: You're quick... So you noticed.

Hinata: By upstairs... You mean, from the third floor?

Sonia: But... On the third floor of the Muscat House, there should be nothing but the Monokuma Museum,

Komaeda: I wonder what this means?

Hinata: I get it! That building's... The Surprise House's secret!

Komaeda: Then, why don't you tell us. I wonder what your answer will be to the puzzle regarding that building?

Hinata: In the photo that Komaeda took from the Strawberry House, you can't see the Muscat House... If so, where is the Muscat House? There's only one possibility that comes to mind... It's located somewhere you can't see from the Strawberry House. In other words, the Strawberry House and the Muscat House exist on different floors within the same building.

Tanaka: Different floors... Within the same building...?

Kuzuryuu: Then... Those 2 houses weren't separate buildings with 3 floors... Actually, it was just one building with 6 floors!

Hinata: If we think of it that way... The location of Strawberry House, where Komaeda took the photo from earlier, becomes clear. Above the Muscat House... That's where the Strawberry House is. Which is why the photo, which was taken on the first floor of the Strawberry House, looked like it was taken so high up... Since not only is it the first floor of the Strawberry House, but is also the fourth floor above the Muscat House.

Sonia: N-No way... To think that the 2 houses were actually connected vertically... It's the shock of the century...

Souda: B-But... What about the building shapes? The 2 houses are shaped completely different, y'know?

Owari: Uhh... The Strawberry House had 4 sides, and the Muscat House had 6 sides, did it?

Nanami: The buildings are shaped differently, making it difficult for us to think of them as the same building... And that's the very thing that the building used to preoccupy us. Due to there being shapes of 4 sides and shapes of 6 sides, it's hard to imagine that they would be the same building... Frankly, the same went for us, right? The tower's another story... We had thought of the 2 houses as 2 separate buildings, hadn't we?

Komaeda: For the sake of keeping us in the dark from that characteristic layout of the Surprise House... At the time Monokuma took us there, he purposely gassed us to sleep, so that we wouldn't be able to see the exterior.

Monokuma: The surprise was a big success! Kyahahaha! Much like its name, "Surprise House", it's a layout full of surprises, don't you think?!

Monomi: Then... It's true? It's truly that kind of layout?

Monokuma: You bet! The 2 houses are on different floors in the same building!

Monomi: To think that you'd go around renovating as you please without my knowing... H-How could you do such a thing...?!

Kuzuryuu: ...If that's so, then what's the deal with the tower? Just like how the houses are, is the tower also vertically lined up?

Hinata: Yeah, the Strawberry Tower and the Muscat Tower are also situated on different floors, within the same building... Just like how the Strawberry House is above the Muscat House... On top of the Muscat Tower, there's a Strawberry Tower.

Tanaka: However, if it's only different floors existing within the same building... Why is it that Nidai's body exists on both sides?

Souda: Ah! Does our Hamster-chan not even get that? Alright... Allow me to solve this puzzle with a snap! Lady Sonia, please stay tuned, okay?

Sonia: Ahh, is that so... Do as you please...

Souda: I-I'll make you look back at me! I'll work hard and make you absolutely look back at me, alright?! Allow me to solve this puzzle with a snap!

Kuzuryuu: We got you, so hurry up and start already...

Souda: Probably, the body that was in the tower somewhere... Was actually a dummy corpse!

Hinata: Nidai's body is no dummy... That was your testimony, Souda.

Souda: Eh... _My_ testimony?!

Hinata: Look, it was at the time we were heading for the Strawberry Tower from the Muscat Tower... When we were wondering whether the body was moved or not... That's when you said that, right? 'Til then, you took apart Nidai's body in the Muscat Tower, right? Nobody would've known which parts you'd dismantle, let alone how, so how could anyone prepare an exact copy?

Sonia: Except the story would be different if it was Mr. Souda himself who prepared the dummy corpse, would it not?

Souda: Heheh... Lady Sonia... Y-Your joke's a little too much... Y-You're joking, right?!

Nanami: It's alright, Souda's not the culprit. I mean, if Souda was the culprit, he wouldn't have fixed the elevator and the Strawberry Corridor switch. Staying broken would be much more beneficial for the culprit, so...

Sonia: Is that so...? How unfortunate.

Souda: I'm the one that's... Unfortunate...

Tanaka: However... Even if one understands that Nidai's corpse was no dummy, there is no meaning if there is no crucial answer.

Kuzuryuu: The reason why Nidai's body is in both towers, that are on separate floors, huh...?

Nanami: ...Maybe it only just simply moved?

Owari: A body moved to a different floor?!

Nanami: Well, does this kind of device sound familiar? The device that moves to a different floor within the same building. When we went to the Surprise House's tower through one side, we couldn't through the other, right? Much like that, the device... At the time you go through one place, you can't get through via any other place.

Hinata: That's... The elevator, right?!

Tanaka: What...? You mean, Nidai's body was shifted via an elevator?

Owari: Speaking of which, where's the elevator?!

Hinata: It's the tower itself... Surely, the interior of the tower itself becomes the elevator! In other words, much like an elevator, the inside of the tower can move up and down. If that's so, then whether you go to the Strawberry Corridor, or the Muscat Corridor... You'd be arriving in the same room, right?

Kuzuryuu: The fact that you couldn't get in through the other side once you went through one side, was due to the tower _itself_ being an elevator...?

Souda: Say... There were times that, when you pressed the corridor switch, the door wouldn't open until ages later...

Owari: I see! Much like an elevator, that was the time it took to arrive!

Sonia: P-Please wait... If the tower interior functions like an elevator... Why is it that, at the time we were in the Muscat Tower, the strawberry mark on the door... At the time we were in the Strawberry Tower, why had the mark become one of grapes?

Tanaka: If it's simply the interior of the tower moving much like an elevator, the door there shall not be susceptible to change...

Sonia: Furthermore, after the incident, the Muscat Tower had its inner door barricaded with chains, didn't it? However, once we went to take a look at the Strawberry Tower, even those chains had vanished from sight.

Kuzuryuu: That wasn't the only thing, was it? If I remember clearly... That door handle had also fallen off.

Tanaka: Hmph, how teeming of discomfort this is. Had that tower honestly been some elevator?

Nanami: Be it people, or objects we're taking into consideration... Instead of the bad points, let's look at the good points instead.

Tanaka: ...What did you say?

Nanami: So I mean... Leaving aside whatever changed for now, let's take a look at what _didn't_ change.

Souda: ...What kinda meaning is there to that?

Nanami: Fine, fine... Well, among things that didn't change, what points in common were there again?

Hinata: They're all things on the floor... Is that a good way to put it?

Nanami: ...And?

Hinata: ...And?

Nanami: Why did the inner door change into something else...? If we're up to that part, then the answer is as good as found. That answer, you see... Lies in the elevator's features.

Hinata: I see... The elevator is made in a way that only the floor moves!

Owari: ...Only the floor moves?

Hinata: The key point here is that the whole room itself doesn't become the elevator... The floor is the only thing that moves. That's why, in each tower, we saw different doors each time. In other words, on the first floor in the Muscat House, the inner door has a strawberry marking on it... On the fourth floor in the Strawberry House, the inner door has a marking of a grape on it.

Owari: Then... Where are those different doors connected to?

Nanami: I'd like to say that it's connected to the outside, but... My guess is that it's probably just there for decoration.

Sonia: Just there for decoration...? What need is there for such things?

Nanami: Probably to get us into misinterpreting the markings on the door as leading us to their respective places, right? To be honest, the effects were quick to show. Thanks to that, we ended up misinterpreting the layout of the building.

Owari: I don't really get it, but I guess this means that the personality of the architect behind this stuff is pretty messed up, huh?

Monokuma: ...Is what she says, Monomi!

Monomi: Don't blame it on me! Please take proper responsibility!

Monokuma: Then, I'll take responsibility and hug you!

Monomi: Thump... ...As if! Please stop with the shameless jokes!

Souda: Just curious, but... What meaning is there to that? I'm talkin' about the chains on the Muscat Tower's inner door.

Komaeda: That's... The culprit probably did it, for the sake of keeping a distance between us and the Strawberry House.

Owari: ...For the sake of keeping us distanced?

Komaeda: Truthfully, thanks to the chains being there, everyone thought they wouldn't be able to get in, right? Same applies for the culprit breaking the Strawberry Corridor switch... It was to keep us away from the Strawberry Tower. All of it... Was the plan to keep a distance between us and the secret of the Surprise House. Through the body showing up in the tower, we end up with contradictions regarding the building layout we've through of 'til now... Were everyone to go to the Strawberry Tower in that situation, they'd end up realizing that very contradiction... And then, using that sense of discomfort as evidence, we may end up arriving at the truth... The reality that is the two houses and two towers together are one building that's connected vertically, I mean. The culprit tried to avoid that... Which explains why they tried to keep a distance between us and the Strawberry Tower.

Kuzuryuu: For that sake... They broke the switch, and wound the chains on the door?

Sonia: Were the layout of the building to come to light, are there any disadvantages the culprit would suffer from?

Komaeda: There'd be a lot. I mean... That secret of the Surprise House is connected to the very ultimate weapon that killed Nidai!

Tanaka: Halt.. It's but too early to begin discussing such topics... There still remains a contradiction regarding the building layout.

Souda: What a pain... Haven't we had enough already...?

Sonia: Mr. Tanaka, we're counting on you!

Tanaka: Earlier, it was said that the Strawberry House and the Muscat House are joined together in a vertical manner, was it not...? If so, what has happened with the connection elevator, whose purpose is to carry its passengers between both houses? If those connection elevators also move vertically... Every time one got off the elevator in their respective houses, it'd be odd not to have the towers facing the same direction. Nonetheless... How does reality fare? When one gets off the elevator in the Muscat House, to their right is the Muscat Corridor... When one gets off the elevator in the Strawberry House, to their left is the Strawberry Corridor. Simply put, I am saying the relationships between the positions of the respective houses and towers, are polar opposites... Answer! What on earth is the meaning of this?!

Sonia: What is the meaning of this?!

Tanaka: Were the two houses to be connected vertically...

Sonia: The connection elevators aren't connected horizontally...

Tanaka: They should be moving in a vertical manner!

Hinata: That connection elevator didn't _only_ just move up and down, in a vertical sense. ...Isn't that right, Souda?

Souda: ...Eh? You mean me?!

Hinata: Look here, carrying the compass that you got from Komaeda with you, you went on the connection elevator, right?

Souda: Ah, that... Well... Somethin' was kinda weird, yeah... Once I got on, the compass needle did a 180 along the way...

Sonia: A 180 degree... Turn?

Nanami: Simply put, the elevator, while moving between the two towers... Did a spin and turned around 180 degrees. Probably... Much like it's following the building exterior, I wonder if it even spins to the other side? If so, around the time the elevator arrives at the other house, the exit would be opposite to what it originally was, wouldn't it?

Hinata: Thanks to that, the tower to your right in the Muscat House... At the Strawberry House, you'd see it to your left.

Kuzuryuu: How the hell would there be an elevator that spins and turns at the same time...? Isn't this basically an amusement park...?

Monokuma: The Surprise House _is_ one of the amusement park attractions! It's all thanks to this building having no need for things like serviceability, that we get to have such wonderful surprises.

Monomi: It's not wonderful one little bit, you inhumane thing!

Monokuma: You say I'm inhuman... But, I'm a bear in the first place and different from the imbecile race that is humanity! I'm different from humans, I tell you! Humans!

Owari: So, the secret of the Surprise House stuff is all over and done with, right? Then, let's get to the important stuff... What's this ultimate weapon that killed Nidai?! And what does it have to do with the column?

Komaeda: Oh? Do you _still_ not know what the ultimate weapon is? Look, it's the thing I found at the Octagon.

Kuzuryuu: What's this Octagon? I haven't heard about that!

Komaeda: Ah... It'll be no good if I start explaining from there... As long as you know the meaning behind the word, "octagon", then this is a simple problem to solve...

Hinata: Surely... By octagon, you meant "8 sides", right?

Komaeda: I should have figured the Super High School Level Scholar would have the answer. While we're at it, how about I ask you once more... Where is a place that'd suit the name, "Octagon"?

Hinata: I see... You mean the room within the Final Dead Room that's surrounded by concrete, right?

Kuzuryuu: Why... Is that place the Octagon?

Nanami: See here, the thing about the 4-sided Strawberry House... It lies on top of the 6-sided Muscat House, doesn't it? If you cut out something with 4 sides from something with 6 sides, you get 8 corners... It becomes 8-sided.

Komaeda: I see how it is... The secret room within the Final Dead Room is the Octagon. Frankly, in there... There were a variety of tools and weapons.

Owari: Then, was that ultimate weapon there, too?

Komaeda: A bit different from that, perhaps... At the Octagon, I realized the identity of the ultimate weapon.

Hinata: ...Realized?

Komaeda: The identity of the ultimate weapon, y'know, was the Surprise House itself. In other words... Making use of the building's layout and converting it into a weapon, the culprit murdered Nidai! Surely... Just like I did, the culprit witnessed the scenery, and figured out the secret of the Surprise House... And then, they'd have thought of a murder plan that'd put that building layout to use.

Sonia: The Surprise House itself is the weapon... They used the building's layout... To kill?

Komaeda: Which is why the culprit tried to maintain a distance between us and the mystery concerning the layout of the building... Even so, to think that the building itself was the weapon... It's actually quite the spectacular criminal act, don't you think so?! Ahahahahaha! The ultimate weapon title fits perfectly!

* * *

"Ugh," Asahina said as she got back from the bathroom, "Morning sickness sucks." "Look on the bright side," Enoshima said, "I hear pregnancy does wonders for a woman's beauty." "Cool," Asahina said with a smile, "So, they managed to figure out how the Surprise House works, huh? Of course in the real world, the Octagon was a gift shop and that window hid a secret door that opened to a wide staircase leading around the Surprise House and back to the train station." "Yeah...," Fujisaki said, "I kinda realized I had forgotten to edit that out of the program when Hinata went for the Final Dead Room."

"Was there really a game of Russian Roulette in that house?," Iris asked. "Sort of," Tsumiki said, "But we didn't have to point the gun at our heads, just at a sensor on the pedestal. The idea was you were allowed to place as many laser pointers, which the gun was designed to activate, inside the chambers as long as you put in at least one. Some people who didn't have much confidence put in all six. Komaeda, only put in one." "And he still got it on the first try," Tora said, "Seriously, that guy should go to Vegas... If it's still intact that it." Phoenix nodded. "It's still there. As much an oasis in the desert as it's always been... Only now in a whole new way." Ooshida then got back in the room, panting and saying, "Sorry for forgetting the popcorn."

* * *

Nanami: N-No way... For the Surprise House to be the ultimate weapon...! ...Well, that's that. Shall we move on?

Sonia: I-Is it alright for us to move on so simply?

Nanami: Like I said, that's not the important thing here, is it? What's _really_ important, is... The culprit, who used the layout of the building... I'm talking about who the culprit is that killed Mecha Nidai, you see?

Souda: Say, is it really alright for us to believe the whole thing about the building itself being the ultimate weapon? It's something _Komaeda_ said, y'know?

Komaeda: There's no use in lying at such an important time like this. I don't want to die either, so...

Kuzuryuu: And this from the guy who said he wouldn't mind dying anytime...?

Komaeda: That's right... There were times when I thought of becoming the foothold for everyone's hope, but... ...Honestly, I'll take back what I said.

Owari: ...Take back?

Komaeda: I find it unfortunate, too... If this was a murder for the sake of hop, I would've gladly offered myself as a sacrifice...

Tanaka: Kuhuhu... Your utterances make little sense, as always... Murders for the sake of hope... Such things do not exist anywhere. A murderer is but a murderer in the end... Such despicable acts of sacrificing others, for the sake of your own greed...! While I may be dubbed the Devil, even _I_ myself look down on such acts with contempt!

Komaeda: Hmm... Is that so...?

Owari: I've had enough... Leave those kinda guys be, and let's get to finding the culprit who killed the old guy Nidai already! ...Just sayin', I ain't doing this 'cause I'm starving or anything.

Sonia: M-Miss Owari! You're salivating like a waterfall!

Nanami: Anyway... Say the culprit used the layout of the building... Why don't we start off by thinking about the method.

Hinata: The way the culprit killed Nidai, right...

Nanami: It might be good to start off from the cause of death. If so, wouldn't we be able to see how the culprit killed him?

Hinata: I see... We could think of it as a fatal crash...

Tanaka: ...A fatal crash, you say?

Hinata: I mean, by the secret of the Surprise House, it's about how the towers and houses are all connected vertically, right? If that's right, then... Making use of the building's height, wouldn't the culprit have made Nidai plummet to his death?

Owari: You mean they dropped him? Where did they drop him from?

Hinata: No, that's... We're not quite up to that bit just yet...

Tanaka: Hmph, do not sound so full of yourself when you do not even know of the method... Are there even any areas within this building where one could initiate such crashes in the first place?

Owari: No, it might be possible if it's the tower. When the floor's at the first floor of the Muscat Tower, you can just drop him from the Strawberry Tower on the fourth floor.

Kuzuryuu: Did you forget how the elevator layout goes? When the floor's on the first level, the fourth floor door won't open, y'know.

Tanaka: Fuahahaha! Crashes and such of the like are egregiously out of the question! Burn to ashes in the eternal flames of Hell!

Owari: Mm... But my sense are onto something here... When the tower's floor is on the first floor... You can't get in through the fourth floor door, huh...?

Kuzuryuu: Obviously, it's impossible to drop something from there.

Nanami: Then, how about this method? While Mecha Nidai is still locked within the tower... You move the tower floor from the fourth floor to the first floor. Making use of the fall at that time...

Souda: Wait, have you forgotten about the tower's sensors? In the case that there's something moving inside the tower...

Hinata: The only thing the sensors can detect are moving things. Maybe, if Nidai didn't move while he was inside, he surely wouldn't have been caught by the sensors.

Sonia: Could it be... You mean the sleep mode?!

Hinata: If you press the goodnight switch at the back of Nidai's neck, he enters sleep mode, and all functions are paused... If he were to go into sleep mode, the tower sensors wouldn't be able to detect him, would they?

Kuzuryuu: I see... So there was _that_ kind of evidence, huh...?

Tanaka: However, even if one were to move the elevator while he's in that state, Nidai will simply move at the same time. And _where_ would the fall and such of the like that'd plummet Nidai to his afterlife be given birth to, exactly?

Nanami: When I was just about to explain that... Souda got in the way.

Sonia: Nuisances, please keep it zipped!

Souda: And now you're treatin' me like some nuisance!

Nanami: If you use some kind of device... You can create a fatal fall within the elevator.

Komaeda: In other words, that device... You're saying we should all put out heads together, right?

Nanami: That device, y'know...

Sonia: The hammer is suspicious!

Owari: Ain't it about time the column pops up?

Tanaka: Does the oil on the floor not matter?

Kuzuryuu: The door handle that fell off is pretty suspicious...

Hinata: There were some scratch marks on the handle, right? That... It might be marks from the wire...

Kuzuryuu: By wire... You mean the wire that Nidai was tied up with?

Hinata: At the end of that wire, there was a loop... If you hook that loop on the handle, and move the elevator...

Sonia: I-If you were to do that, he'd end up dangling in midair!

Nanami: Yeah, they hung him in midair.

Sonia: Eh?!

Nanami: Tying wire around Mecha Nidai, who had entered sleep mode... The culprit had tied the end of the knotted wire to the Strawberry Tower's fourth floor door handle... In that state, the elevator within the tower was moved towards the Muscat Tower, from the fourth floor to the first floor... Like so, they hung Mecha Nidai.

Monokuma: Yep, dangly dangle! Just like a...

Monomi: If you're going to say something vulgar, quit it this instant!

Hinata: The culprit used the fact that only the floor of the elevator moves. Through that, they'd created a fall that'd crash Nidai to death.

Souda: What's all this about creating some kinda fall, huh?! You can't crash that guy to his death with just that!

Hinata: H-How come...?

Souda: Hanging Nidai like that... And what would you do from there? Say he's hanging in midair, but what's gonna happen to the whole crash plan if the dude doesn't fall off! Even if you hung Nidai up with wire... _How_ are you gonna get him to drop? There ain't anyone in the tower to drop him... There's no way you can pull this off, is there?!

Hinata: It's not that someone was there to drop him... There could be a possibility that he fell on his own!

Souda: Huh? You sayin' Nidai fell on his own? Nidai was surely still in sleep mode.

Hinata: If Nidai was to open his eyes while still hanging in midair, what do you think it would have been like for him?

Souda: W-Whatcha on about...? I mean... _How_ would he open his eyes...?

Hinata: It's the alarm inside his body. As long as you have that, you can revoke the sleep mode. In other words... The culprit configured the alarm beforehand, and afterwards, hung Nidai while he was in that state!

Nanami: Once he opened his eyes after waking up from the alarm, he'd find himself hanging upside-down for some reason... If things suddenly became like that... You'd surely be baffled. You'd squirm without thinking... Mecha Nidai would've too.

Komaeda: And, making sure he'd fall off easily through that reaction... The wire was put on the door handle's rear for easy removal. The wire scratches were towards the end of the handle, right?

Owari: But, Nidai falling wasn't 'cause of the wire slipping off, was it?

Hinata: It was because the entire door handle itself was broken...

Komaeda: Surely, the handle became broken thanks to Nidai squirming a lot more vigorously than expected.

Sonia: That's... Was it also beyond the culprit's expectations?

Kuzuryuu: Well, seems like it... If they knew that this much evidence would be left behind, they'd have take some measures of their own.

Souda: I see... So that was the cause behind Nidai's fall, huh...?

Hinata: ...Have I finally convinced you?

Souda: Yeah... In the end, it seems like Lady Sonia was right... I'm just a nuisance... No, maybe I'm a step higher and just some pigheaded bastard. Right, Lady Sonia? If I'm a pigheaded bastard to you, I'm perfectly fine with you calling me a pigheaded bastard!

Sonia: No, I think you did a great job.

Souda: H-Hold up! Why ain't you condemning me?!

Kuzuryuu: That bastard... He's become human trash...!

Komaeda: So, thanks to that alarm timer, Nidai ended up falling while hanging upside-down, but... He and the ground didn't just crash in that same state. Of course, you guys already know that as well, don't you?

Hinata: As Nidai was falling to the ground, he ended up crashing into the column... That's what you're trying to say, right?

Owari: And here the column _finally_ pops up!

Tanaka: Was that the reason why the column fell over, and had oil on it?

Owari: See, the column's the weapon after all! I was right on!

Komaeda: Well, the column does seem like an extra, y'know. We don't know whether it was what the culprit wanted, or if it was a coincidence.

Sonia: Then, finding clues that'll lead us to the culprit from there would prove difficult, wouldn't it...

Kuzuryuu: Then, how about that alarm timer? Since we know for sure that the timer was set to 7:30, if we start breaking it down from there...

Owari: ...Hold it, teeny gangster.

Kuzuryuu: W-Won't you quit it with the "teeny gangster"!

Owari: What was that just now? The alarm was set to 7:30...?

Kuzuryuu: D-Didn't you do your research? Nidai's alarm was set to 7:30.

Owari: No, but that's weird! I mean... Even though I _did_ end up being a little bit late, I still went to the tower at 7 in the morning, y'know?

Sonia: N-Now that I think about it, I did as well! Since we can't be late to Monokuma Tai Chi, I went to the Muscat Tower at 7 in the morning! The fact that we found Nidai's body there, and we got there before the 7:30 alarm...

Tanaka: ...It appears that yet another contradiction has been born. How is it so that you degenerates, who visited the tower at 7, discovered the body of Nidai, whose alarm was set to 7:30?

Owari: T-That's what _I_ wanna know!

Sonia: Us visiting the tower was... Without a doubt, at 7 in the morning.

Kuzuryuu: But, the alarm inside Nidai's chest... Was set to 7:30 in the morning, y'know.

Souda: Nidai died thanks to that alarm, right?

Tanaka: The contradiction between the time of death and the time the body was discovered... Meaning, which side is mere fantasy?

Owari: It'd be part of the culprit's disguise plan, either way. The culprit messed around with the clock in Nidai's chest.

Hinata: No, since the clock in his chest is a radio clock, messing around it is, first of all, completely out of the question.

Owari: ...You mean there ain't any room for the possibility that the culprit went and disguised things up?

Souda: Maybe the clock that Lady Sonia and co saw was the one that was messed around with?

Sonia: The Muscat House clock... You mean?

Kuzuryuu: No, I investigated every single clock in the Surprise House...

Komaeda: Ah, you means the favor I asked of you. So you properly investigated every single clock within the Surprise House.

Kuzuryuu: It's thanks to that that I can make a declaration. All the clock were set to the exact same time.

Tanaka: If there exists no possibility that the clocks have been tampered with, then, as expected, does doubt lie on the side of mankind's reasoning...

Sonia: Please believe us! We haven't told such things as lies!

Tanaka: Then perhaps I... Misunderstood?

Owari: I don't _do_ stuff like misunderstandings, alright! I'll grind and mash the hell outta you and turn you into dog food!

Hinata: You said Kuzuryuu checked all the clocks in the building, right?

Kuzuryuu: Yeah, there weren't any messed up clocks anywhere...

Hinata: But, what if the times on all the clocks were equally distorted?

Kuzuryuu: What... _All_ of the clocks?!

Hinata: If so, no matter how much you inspect the clocks in the building, there'd be no way you'd get a lead, right.

Komaeda: I see... Through messing with all the clocks in the building, the culprit distorted the entire time of the building, huh...

Kuzuryuu: Tch, is that how it was... ? There really _is_ no way you'd notice...!

Komaeda: ...This is also fantastic, isn't it!

Owari: This ain't time to be full of praise, y'know. Rather than that... How badly was the time messed up, exactly?

Souda: The fact that _all_ the clocks in the building are messed up... Is Nidai's radio clock the only accurate one?!

Kuzuryuu: The time that guy died... Was, without a doubt, at 7:30.

Tanaka: The problem is that, at 7:30... What time was it to the rest of us?

Nanami: I wonder if there are no appropriate clues?

Sonia: If only we had heard at least the sound of the crash...

Hinata: Right... If you're about the sound of the crash, I'm sure I heard that. Wouldn't that earthquake-like sound be it?

Sonia: ...Earthquake?

Owari: I thought it was just another earthquake and kept snoozing... Was that the sound of Nidai falling down?!

Hinata: I mean, that huge weight falling from the fourth floor to the first floor... On top of that, even the column fell down, too... It's obvious that a sound that loud would be made.

Souda: I heard that sound, too...!

Tanaka: It was when us three gathered in the Strawberry House lounge... ...What's the matter, dear Sonia?

Sonia: No, it's just that sound that everyone is saying they heard... I, myself, know absolutely nothing about it.

Hinata: ...Huh?

Souda: Isn't it just 'cause you were asleep that you didn't realize?

Sonia: Last night, perhaps due to an empty stomach, I wasn't able to get any rest... Which is why I was wide awake the entire night...

Souda: I-It's nothin' to get worked up over! Since that bit about the ground shaking is the only thing that's important...

Komaeda: Either way... If we think of that tremor as our lead, we might be able to find out how much our time was shifted, wouldn't we.

Owari: The time I heard that sound was... Around 5:30 in the morning!

Nanami: ...Huh? How do you know?

Owari: I shot out of bed, and ended up running outta my room, you see... At that time, I saw the clock in the lounge, y'know.

Sonia: That's brilliant, Miss Owari!

Hinata: If the sound of Nidai falling to the ground at 7:30 on the alarm timer, we were to hear at 5:30... That means our time was shifted by two hours.

Owari: By t-two hours, you mean?!

Kuzuryuu: Since everyone was in a fairly vulnerable state and all... There's no way that we would have noticed it.

Souda: On top of that... There aren't any windows in the Surprise House, and there weren't any Monokuma Announcements, either.

Tanaka: ...However, for what purpose did the culprit shift the time?

Komaeda: The reason's obvious. It was to lure out just Nidai. Look, if you shift the time and use something on top that, only Nidai is sure to come out to the tower, right? So, the culprit's plan succeeded brilliantly... That's how it went.

Hinata: I see... The Monokuma Tai Chi in the morning, is it? The culprit used that event, right?

Tanaka: And _how_ did they use it?

Komaeda: For the sake of that event, we all have to head to the Muscat Tower at 7 every morning, don't we? But, if every clock was faulty, I wonder what'll happen with us?

Hinata: You won't get to the tower on time... But, only Nidai is different. Since that guy has an accurate radio clock on him.

Komaeda: That's right... Like so, the culprit had devised a plan to lure only Nidai himself out to the tower at the correct time.

Kuzuryuu: Then, the Nidai I saw this morning was...

Komaeda: Surely, Kuzuryuu saw him around 5 in the morning, you said? Since that time was also pulled back by 2 hours, it'd have been around 7 in the morning... Mm, that certainly seems like the case. At that time, Nidai had left to go to Monokuma Tai Chi on time.

Hinata: I see... Now that I think about it, what Monokuma said at that time had that kinda meaning too, huh...?

Monokuma: Gasp!

Monomi: You're fast! He hasn't even said anything yet!

Hinata: You saying everyone at that time... That's all of us, right? All of us thought we had gone to the tower on time, but the gathering time had actually passed a long while ago...

Monokuma: Ah, my, my! That kinda stuff, y'know... It goes like this... Uhh, what was it again? Look, it's like... Don't change the object.

Monomi: It's "don't change the subject"... Isn't it?

Monokuma: Bzzt! That's too bad!

Monomi: L-Lies! I'm right, y'know!

Monokuma: That's wrong! Incorrect!

Monomi: I-I said, I'm most certainly right! You're always so stubborn!

Komaeda: Let's just leave the two chatterboxes aside... Now that we also know the way the culprit lured Nidai out... We'd be able to roughly figure out the culprit now, right?

Souda: Oi... How are we supposed to find out the culprit with what we've got so far. This ain't something you can just half-ass, y'know?

Komaeda: Whether I'm half-assing it or not, I'm sure you'll understand once you keep listening to Kuzuryuu's testimony.

Kuzuryuu: ...Huh? The hell you on about?

Komaeda: You saw Nidai go to the tower... And, what happened after that?

Kuzuryuu: Could it be... You're talking about that alarm?

Nanami: Hm? Alarm?

Kuzuryuu: A short while after I witnessed Nidai, the clock in the Strawberry House's lounge started going off. On top of that, that happened just prior to the quake-like tremor that we heard... That's it... So _that's_ how is it, huh...? If Nidai died at the time the quake-like tremor was heard, then a guy without an alibi at the time is suspicious, yeah?!

Owari: Is there?! A dude without an alibi at that time?!

Souda: I also... Remembered... Even though it was loud enough for me to run outta my room without thinkin', there was one guy who wasn't at the lounge... Even though we were in the same room on the same floor... It's weird that only _they_ didn't come out, right...?

Sonia: In other words... They have no alibi for the time Mr. Nidai fell?

Owari: Who is it...? Who the hell is it...?!

Hinata: Someone who wasn't there... You mean Komaeda, right?

Souda: Exactly! Komaeda wasn't there at that time! The only people there... Were me, Tanaka, and Kuzuryuu!

Komaeda: Even though the alarm clock went off _that_ loudly, the fact that he didn't even come out if his room, is... Could it be, you... Weren't even in your room?

Souda: Then, where did you go?

Sonia: Please... Say something...!

Owari: If you don't hurry up and answer, I'll Plancha Suicida your ass!

Komaeda: To give you the straightforward answer... I couldn't go to the lounge, even if I wanted to.

Hinata: "Couldn't go"... What do you mean?

Tanaka: Hmph, it's the nonsense of the weak anyhow.

Komaeda: As for me, y'know... As well as the alarm of course, I didn't hear the quake-like sound.

Souda: See, you _are_ bullshittin' your way through!

Sonia: B-But... The same applies to myself... Of course, I wouldn't hear the Strawberry House alarm, but... It's strange that I didn't hear even the earthquake sound, isn't it? That is... Even though everybody else heard it...

Nanami: To be honest... It's not just you two... I didn't hear it either. Since I was in a deep slumber, I thought that was the reason why I didn't notice it, but... That wasn't it... I couldn't notice the earthquake sound.

Owari: Couldn't notice, huh... What do you mean?

Komaeda: Do you _still_ not get it...? That's... If you think of the points those three people have in common, I'd say you'd understand right away...

Hinata: Komaeda, and Sonia, and Nanami... The three of you were staying in luxury rooms, right? Now I remember... Surely, those luxury rooms...

Sonia: Then perhaps, the reason why we couldn't hear the tremor...

Komaeda: That's right... It was due to the luxury rooms' soundproofing. Pretty good, Hinata... So you noticed that, did you? Then again I should expect no less from the Super High School Level Scholar. Now, for someone like you, you should have understood it already, right? The way the culprit killed Nidai, that is.

Owari: H-Hold on! How can we get the culprit with only this much!

Komaeda: How, you ask...? That's because the truth here will become an important decisive clue to help us uncover the culprit.

Kuzuryuu: A d-decisive clue to uncover the culprit...?

Hinata: Tanaka... I have something I want you to tell me. At the time the alarm went off in the Strawberry House's lounge, you were also present at the time, weren't you?

Tanaka: ...What about it? Were you to hear the gospel of ruin resonating throughout the raven darkness, the universe's foundation goes to prevent...

Hinata: ...How did you hear it?

Tanaka: What do you mean...?

Hinata: I mean, you were staying in the luxury room, right? Even though Komaeda, who stayed in the same building, on the same floor, in the same luxury room, didn't hear it... How were you able to hear the sound of that alarm!

Souda: H-Huh...? Now that you say it, yeah...!

Sonia: M-Mr. Tanaka...?

Hinata: There's only one possibility that comes to mind... It was because you weren't in your room at that time. Isn't that how it was possible for you to go to the lounge, even if you were staying in the luxury room?

Sonia: Mr. Tanaka... Um... There must be some reason, right?

Komaeda: Maybe Tanaka couldn't go back because of Kuzuryuu.

Kuzuryuu: B-Because of me...?

Komaeda: Kuzuryuu, after you witnessed Nidai heading for the tower, you lingered in the lounge, didn't you? Continuously, until the alarm went off... Right? Since he kept staying in the lounge, it's only natural that the culprit, who had left prior, couldn't go back, right?

Nanami: If you look at it in one way, Mecha Nidai's death appears to be automatic, with the use of the alarm in his chest, but... All sorts of preparations made beforehand, surely must have been needed to be done by the culprit themselves.

Souda: Like putting Nidai in sleep mode... And tying him with wire...

Hinata: For that, there's a need for the culprit to be present at the same place first, before Nidai arrives at the tower... In other words, at the point in time where Kuzuryuu witnessed Nidai, the culprit was surely already present at the tower.

Souda: But... When they were about to go back, they couldn't since Kuzuryuu was in the lounge, huh...?

Komaeda: Originally, their plan was... Before the alarm in the lounge went off, the culprit was to return to their room. And then, they would've stayed in their room... They probably had no intentions of coming out to the lounge.

Nanami: Since... That way, them staying in their room would back up their claim of not noticing the alarm nor the tremor...

Sonia: Like us just now... You mean.

Komaeda: Maybe, if the two people in the lounge had come to check up on the room, that would've been the best... I mean, if the culprit were to show the others that they were sleeping, a firm alibi would have been complete. Except... That alibi plan unfortunately ended as a failure...

Kuzuryuu: Was it... Because I was int the lounge?

Komaeda: And then, having lost their chance to return to their room, the culprit ended up hearing the lounge alarm...

Owari: But, why did you get out? You could've just stayed in hiding until the ruckus settled down, right...?

Nanami: If the two of them went to go check up on Tanaka in his room within that time, they'd realize he's not in there, wouldn't they? That's the absolute worst possible outcome... Which is why there was no way he could stay in hiding.

Komaeda: If things had gone as planned, the two of them coming to check up on his room would've been the best idea, except... How ironic... At the point where Kuzuryuu showed up, it turned into the worst idea.

Sonia: M-Mr. Tanaka...? Do you not have anything to say?

Tanaka: Allow me to ask... If you were to combine the Four Dark Gods of Destruction and I, how many ears would there be?

Owari: ...Huh?

Tanaka: The answer is 10... That's right, that means, to I, there are _10_ ears at my disposal... Thus, my hearing is five times that of the average human! Soundproof systems and such in that room mean nothing!

Hinata: Surely... You don't mean _that's_ you rebuttal, do you?

Kuzuryuu: You... Do you even _know_ what situation you're in?!

Tanaka: D-Do not be shocked... Since this is... Where is _really_ begins...! At that time, I had left my room to head for the toilet, and there I ended up hearing the alarm by chance. Yes, that was simply it... The world is always simple.

Nanami: By chance? Isn't the timing too great?

Tanaka: Due to that, I have resulted in gaining suspicious... Rather, I can conclude that the timing was bad.

Komaeda: Hm... So you're still gonna fight... Well, it's alright for you to not accept it. Since the voting results are decided upon by majority wins either way. Which leads us to... Why don't we all get to voting already? It's been decided that Tanaka's the culprit and all, so...

Hinata: H-Hold on a sec...

Komaeda: ...Y'know, Hinata. Be it this kind of school trial... Or a murder... They all barely amount to mere prologues.

Monokuma: Hey! Whaddya mean the school trial is some prologue?!

Komaeda: Rather... Should I call it a farce? This kind of farce... It's so boring to the point that there's stress building up inside... It's so boring to the point that there are going to be ulcers all over my stomach... So! Before I pass out from health issues, let's end this already!

Hinata: Komaeda... As I thought, there _is_ something, huh?

Komaeda: ...Hm?

Hinata: From about halfway through the investigation of this case, you started acting weirdly... What... Exactly happened? Did you figure something out?

Komaeda: Well, you can look forward to that later... For now, let's hurry and get this prologue over and done with already...

Monokuma: Ah, there you go again with that "prologue"!

Sonia: P-Please wait! We haven't heard Mr. Tanaka's rebuttal yet!

Komaeda: But, he's completely shut up. Does he even _have_ anything left to argue with?

Sonia: _Mr. Tanaka!_

Tanaka: Kuhuhu... It was simply because you lowlifes' naive reasonings were so absurd, that it left me speechless... Rather, it's contradictory from the roots! You lowlifes' reasonings were wrong from the beginning!

Hinata: F-From the beginning...?

Tanaka: If it's as you lowlifes claim... I hung Nidai up from the fourth floor of the Strawberry Tower, and next, after moving to the first floor of the Muscat Tower... From there, after returning to the Strawberry Tower, I heard the alarm in the lounge, yes? I must have been _truly_ busy, moving back and forth as such... And how would I move from house to house, exactly?

Kuzuryuu: That's right... The elevator was out of order, wasn't it...?

Tanaka: The culprit undoubtedly fiddled with the Muscat House's control panel, thus stopping the elevators from working... On top of that, where the elevator stopped was most certainly at the Muscat House. If so, that must mean the last person to use the elevator dismounted at the Muscat House... Piece it all together, and it is the indubitable truth that the culprit broke the elevator at the Muscat House!

Owari: And what about it...?

Souda: It means you can't go back to the Strawberry House, since the elevator was broken over at the Muscat House.

Tanaka: However, I was well and truly at the Strawberry House. I got up even at the moment the alarm in the lounge went off... In other words... You lowlifes' deductions are incorrect!

Souda: Y-You serious...! And here I thought we were done...!

Tanaka: Fuahaha! Are you enlightened now, you mere human beings! You cannot get past all these inconsistencies! That connection elevator... Is the only method of transport between the two houses.

Hinata: No, I'm sure there _is_ another way to move between the two houses other than using the connection elevator.

Tanaka: ...T-There is no such thing!

Hinata: Then... Shall we ask the guy who actually used that method? Komaeda, if it's you, I'm sure you know about it...!

Komaeda: Huh? What are you on about?

Hinata: Don't play games... You were able to show up at that place thanks to using that method, right? Surely, there was a shortcut that connected the first floor of the Strawberry House to the third floor of the Muscat House... ...Isn't that right?

Komaeda: Hm... This must be how a true scholar thinks... Yes, you're right. On the ground of the Octagon located on the first floor of the Strawberry House, there was this door... When I opened that door and went down... Whoa, what a surprise! I had ended up in the Monokuma Museum located on the third floor of the Muscat House!

Owari: So, the key is... That the third and fourth floors were actually connected to each other, huh?

Komaeda: On top of that, once you clear the Final Dead Room, you can travel back and forth whenever you please.

Hinata: If you think of that shortcut being used... You could travel between the two houses as much as you want.

Tanaka: However... What happens if the culprit was not aware of the Final Dead Room's existence...?

Hinata: There's no way they... Wouldn't know.

Tanaka: That does not exceed the fantasies born from your doubt! Hmph, if you value your life... It'd be in your best interests to stop arguing back beyond this point, would it not...?

Hinata: ...There's no way I'd stop here!

Tanaka: What... Did you...?! Do not anger me any further! It's already backbreaking enough for I to pardon you with you life spared! If you were to use that spacious wormhole... Without the ascending and descending box of chaos... Once _could_ travel between the two universes... However, brittle, brittle, oh so brittle! That corrupted fantasy of yours... I shall accept as provisions for the wicked god of creations!

Hinata: It was confirmed earlier that a shortcut exists! That shortcut is in the Octagon!

Tanaka: Know the boundaries of your deductions...! The culprit went to the Octagon, you say? Quit your barking, mongrel! You do not wish to sink in the helix of darkness and chaos...

Hinata: ...The wire used to tie Nidai's body up. Also, the hammer disguised as a weapon, same goes for the chain used to seal the tower door... They were all items not found in the Surprise House! Where would the culprit have gotten them from?

Komaeda: The Octagon... Is the only place I can think of. Since there were all sorts of weapons and tools there... I'd say there would be wire, hammers, and chains, too.

Hinata: The fact that those were used in the crime must mean that the culprit, without a doubt, went to the Octagon!

Tanaka: ...Kuh!

Nanami: Then... Of course they'd know there's a shortcut there, right?

Tanaka: ...Kuuhh!

Komaeda: Seems like... This is where it ends. If this was the usual, from here on is where Hinata steps in to go over the case from start to end in detail, but... Since we can't afford to waste any more time on a prologue, I'll quickly get it over and done with!

Hinata: O-Oi... Who said you can do as...?!

Komaeda: First off, after Tanaka tampered with every single clock in the building, he called out only Nidai. Perhaps, the elevator was already out of order at that time. Thanks to that, since Nidai ended up being unable to go to the Muscat Tower, where the meeting spot was... For now, wouldn't he have gone to the Strawberry Tower to check? Just like how we at the time we found out that the connection elevator was out of order. Well, it's only natural that he'd think that way... Since at that time, we were mislead into think the two towers were one. Well, at that point, the Strawberry Corridor switch was fine, so getting into the Strawberry Tower would've been easy, but... What the, Tanaka was waiting for him there!

Kuzuryuu: H-Hold on a sec... What was the culprit planning to do in the case that Nidai _didn't_ come to the Strawberry Tower?

Komaeda: Well, it _is_ a pretty rough plan with a lot of uncertainty factors, but it wouldn't have mattered much even if the plan failed... Once you can just think of a different plan the next morning...

Nanami: Also... It wouldn't have been possible to call out just Nidai in the case they they didn't plan carefully beforehand.

Komaeda: ...Then, let's continue going over this case. Like so, Tanaka was successful in luring _just_ Nidai himself to the Strawberry Tower, but... Of course, there's no way he could win one-on-one against Nidai, who had now become a robot... So, he pressed Nidai's Goodnight Switch and had neutralized the situation without a fight.

Tanaka: ...! Hold it... W-What did you just, you scum? Without... A fight, you say...?!

Komaeda: ...Huh? What about it?

Tanaka: Don't... Play games with me...! Don't play games with me! Only those words, I simply _cannot_ let off the hook!

Komaeda: ...What are you suddenly getting all angry for?

Tanaka: You lowlifes... Do not know... You know _nothing_...! Ha, what a laugh! The fact that you lowlifes still don't know _anything_, even up to this point!

Owari: "Still don't know anything"... Whaddya mean?

Tanaka: It appears... That this is not yet over...! I am a person who'll go to hell someday, am I not?! However, right now... It's not over yet...! I'll end thiiiissssssss!

Hinata: W-What are you planning to do...?

Tanaka: Isn't it obvious! I'll butcher your fantasy-riddled deductions!

Hinata: You... _Still_ have room for counter-arguments?

Tanaka: It's what you lowlifes stated... I pressed Nidai's Goodnight Switch, did you say? However, that switch is located at the back of Nidai's neck... In order to press that, you'd have to go behind him...!

Owari: You can't get behind old man Nidai that easily, y'know...

Nanami: In the case of a one-on-one battle with the culprit... It might prove even more difficult.

Tanaka: As expected, how weak... To think that you'd all fall this easily... Your deductions truly did not exceed mere fantasies after all. Fuahaha! If you wish to corner I as the culprit, I'd like you to do so _after_ transcending human beings, at the very least!

Hinata: You've got that wrong, Tanaka... The one who's wrong here... Is _you_, after all!

Tanaka: Hmph, a good line... However still lacking. Listen closely... There are two different methods of making other admit defeat! Allow me to teach you those ways! One is the act of trampling on others with your overwhelming power, leaving them no room to speak... And, the other is... Stating a reason that'll be enough to convince that person! You still haven't... Satisfied either one of the two! Hit Nidai's back?! Do you think one could get behind it so easily?!

Hinata: Even without getting behind Nidai's back, I'm certain that it's possible to press the switch behind his neck! If you borrow the powers of those hamsters you always carry around with you, that is!

Tanaka: ...Uuohh?!

Kuzuryuu: No way... Are you telling me that he used those hamsters of his to press the switch at the back of Nidai's neck...?

Hinata: Of course, it'd be impossible for normal hamsters to do, but if it's Tanaka's hamsters, I'm sure they could pull it off! We actually saw it with our very own eyes, right?

Nanami: Certainly... It was like that when Mioda died in the music club, too... The ones that brought down the piece of wallpaper caught on the stage light for us were Tanaka's hamsters, weren't they? Hey, if it's your unusually intelligent buddies we're talking about here, then I'm sure they could pull it off... Going behind Mecha Nidai and pressing the switch behind neck would be possible, at least.

Hinata: How's that... Tanaka?!

Tanaka: ...Kuh! Kuhuhu... Kuahaha... Fuahahahahaha! If this was to do with I, it'd be a different story, anyhow... To think that you'd quote the grandeur of my underlings... ...Hmph, I have no choice but to acknowledge it.

Sonia: A-Acknowledge...? Did you say you... Acknowledge it?

Tanaka: Seems what was in my hand was a one-way ticket to hell... Very well! If so, tread on me as you proceed! History is achieved atop the bodies of the dead! Peace without any sacrifice and such of the like do not exist anywhere! Now, tread on this life as you proceed! Walk all over me like trash that litters the streets! Ring the curtain down on this nonsense of a performance with your very own hands!

Hinata: And this time Komaeda... Let me do it...

Act 1: I'll start be describing what the culprit did to prepare for the crime. One was breaking the elevator. Because of this, no one else was able to move between the Strawberry and Muscat Houses. Next, in order to isolate Nidai in the tower, the culprit moved back all the clocks in the Surprise House by two hours. Moreover, to create an alibi for himself... He set the alarm in the Strawberry House's lounge for 5:30... After he was one with his preparations, the culprit took all of the weapons he needed and went to the Strawberry Tower. He got those tools from the Octagon, which he was given access to after completing the Final Dead Room. So... The culprit knew about the secret of the Surprise House, too. The fact that the Strawberry House and the Muscat House were part of the same building, I mean...

Act 2: Eventually, Nidai, who had woken up that morning due to his own clock, walked down to the Muscat Tower. While this was happening, Nidai happened to be seen by Kuzuryuu, who was in the lounge. According to Kuzuryuu's testimony, this was around 5 in the morning. But because the culprit had messed with our ability to see what time it really was... When Kuzuryuu saw Nidai, it was really around 7 AM. 7 AM was the scheduled time for the Monokuma Tai Chi... And that was the reason that Nidai was going down to the Muscat Tower.

Act 3: But since the elevator was broken, Nidai wasn't able to get down there. So he decided to go to the Strawberry Tower, instead. But when he got there... The culprit was waiting for him. Using the hamsters that he had bred and trained, the culprit activated the Goodnight Switch on the back of Nidai's neck... And Nidai fell into sleep mode, and he became powerless. Next, the culprit prepared the scene so that he would be able to utilize the ultimate weapon...

Act 4: First, he set the alarm of Nidai's radio clock to 7:30... Then, after he tied Nidai up using the wire, the culprit tied the end of the wire into a noose and hung it from the door handle.

Act 5: And then the culprit, who left the Strawberry Tower, immediately destroyed the switch for the door to the gallery. By stopping us from getting into the Strawberry Tower... He stopped the secret of the Surprise House, which was used to kill Nidai, from being found out. And then, after using the secret passageway in the Octagon to travel to the Muscat House, the culprit... Went to the Muscat Tower, and pressed the button to open the Muscat Doors. And so, the elevator-like tower lowered itself to the ground... And four floors up, Nidai was hanging precariously from the wire. After entering the tower to check that everything was in place, the culprit... Placed a hammer on the ground to look like the murder weapon, and wrapped a chain around the fake Strawberry Door inside the Muscat Tower. This was to make us think that we would be unable to enter the Strawberry Tower... a plan to keep us away from that place.

Act 6: After finishing all of this, the culprit returned through the secret passage and planned to go back to his room... So that he would have an alibi for Nidai's time of death. But something prevented him... Kuzuryuu, who had seen Nidai leave, was still waiting in the lounge. The culprit was waiting there, unable to return to his room, when that time came... Five thirty... In reality, seven thirty, and the pre-set alarm in the Strawberry Lounge went off... And, to prevent the worst-case scenario of the others realizing he was missing, the culprit slipped into the lounge. And the time that the alarm went off was also the same time that Nidai was scheduled to wake up... Nidai, who had woken up upside-down and disoriented, began to move, probably without fully understanding what he was even doing... The culprit had planned on that movement causing the wire to slip off and send Nidai crashing to his death... But the stress on the wire, greater than he expected brought the door handle off with it. And then Nidai... Who fell the length of the Strawberry Tower building... Hit the column on his way down, and died because of the impact to his head... And at that moment, the sound of Nidai's crash ran out throughout the Surprise House... But the culprit's plans had started to go wrong... Because of the broken door handle... And because of Kuzuryuu... You see, this person had slept in a luxury room, and shouldn't have been able to hear the alarm... The person who was prevented by Kuzuryuu from returning to his room...

Hinata: Gundam Tanaka... It can only be you!

Tanaka: Kuhuhu... How impressive... Fuahahahaha! It was truly impressive! For a mere human being, you prove yourself to be quite the competitor!

Owari: Give it... A rest already... Stop... Trying to evade the point by saying strange things... 'Cause if you don't... I'll beat you to death!

Sonia: I cannot believe it... I cannot believe such a thing... To think that someone like you... Murdered Mr. Nidai... I honestly cannot believe such a thing!

Tanaka: ...Am I unforgivable? Are you outraged? If so, then attempt to put an end to this all! Dare to direct a filthy vote to I, Gundam Tanaka! Dear beloved enemies! Now, allow us to commence voting!

* * *

Phoenix saw his old friend Edgeworth step into the room. "What kept you, Edgeworth? We've already gotten back eight of 'em, and a ninth is on the way." "Sorry about this," Edgeworth said, "But with how spread out we are, organizing attacks against SHSL Despair has proven difficult. It shouldn't last for much longer, though. We're getting plenty of supporters." He took a look at the latest trial. "Was that man always such an playactor?" Tora chuckled. "Tanaka revels in his eccentricities, but there's no denying his love for animals." He walked over to a small glass animal cage and looked inside it. "You guys will soon be reunited with your master. You excited?" There were some excited squeaks in response.

* * *

The votes landed in favor of Tanaka as the culprit, and once again a stream of confetti appeared. "Wow!," Monokuma said, "You guys are on a roll. That's four cases you've gotten right so far! Indeed, Nekomaru Nidai was killed by Gundam Tanaka!" Sonia was still in tears. "But why Tanaka...?" Tanaka simply smiled. "For the sake of everyone here... You see, when I confronted Nidai inside the Strawberry Tower, I first challenged him to battle. I told him of my plan, and said the victor of our fight would carry out that plan. We each had someone we cared about who was suffering because of Monokuma's cruelty, so he accepted."

"Someone... He cared about...?," Owari said, realizing who Tanaka had to be talking about. "Had Nidai still been human," Tanaka said, "Even one such as I would be pushed to my very limit. There would even be a good chance that I would lose. But as a machine, Nidai had lost that crucial fighting do not think I expected my crime to go completely unsolved. I knew, at the very least, that someone would get curious about the Final Dead Room and try it out, and from there discover the Surprise House's secret. As for Kuzuryuu, that is something completely coincidental. Perhaps fate making sure I would be discovered."

"Are you saying you did this just so Monokuma would stop starving us?, Komaeda said, "Then I underestimated you. It seems you to had hope, after all." Tanaka smiled. "I could see it on all your faces. If one would call murder so that one may live 'evil', then what must one call surrendering on life itself?! If the world shall name it just, then I shall fight that world with all my strength, for to renounce life and choose death is a blasphemy to life itself! It is the perversion of nature, the conceit of mankind!" He handed his four beloved hamsters to Sonia. "Where I go, they cannot follow. Please, take case of them for me." Sonia nodded, tears streaming down her eyes. "And on that final note...," Tanaka said, "I, Gundam Tanaka, will see you all in hell!" He walked into the execution chamber, his hand held high above his head.

**Gundam Falling to the Earth**

A stampede of animals led by Monokuma charged toward Tanaka with him standing there waiting to die. He then drew a magic circle with a stick, but before anything could happen, the stampede ran him down. Animal angels carried his body to a better place.

With the execution finished, the students were let out of the trial room. Not long after they finally returned to the hotel, Owari, needing to let out some steam, yelled as loud as she could. "Whew," Owari said, "That feels better. Now what's say we eat. Those sandwiches helped, but I'm still starving." The others couldn't help but chuckle. "Glad to see you back to normal again," Souda said, "By they way, I made this out of Nidai's remains." He handed Owari a tiny metal doll fashioned like Nidai. "Thanks Souda," Owari said.

However, unbeknownst to the others, Komaeda had quickly retreated to his cabin. The first thing he did was make a certain signal on the monitor. Instantly, Tora's face came up on it. "Hope I didn't throw him off too much," Komaeda said. 'You did fine, old friend,' Tora said, 'Though Hajime might get suspicious of your absence.' "I'm not worried," Komaeda said, "My time in this simulation is limited anyway. Finally free to return to the real world... For what it's worth. How bad was the damage?" 'Not total,' Tora replied, 'There were a few countries, small ones mostly, that came out unscathed. A few major cities still stand strong, though most have been reduced to wasteland. And as for the human population... It's been cut in half.'

Komaeda nodded solemnly. "I'm still surprised they bought my lie. I mean, I wasn't lying regarding Hajime, but to say that all the other files contained only regular data..." Tora laughed. 'To be fair, you only had to fool one person. The person inhabiting my brother's mind without his knowledge. Oh, and about that Russian Roulette incident... Don't do anything like that again... There's a fine line between lucky and tempting fate.' Komaeda chuckled. "Okay, okay. By the way, shouldn't Tanaka be waking up about now?" Tora paused as he looked at something. 'Oh yeah. Well, I'll leave it to you to set things up.' Komaeda nodded as the feed got cut.

* * *

Tanaka was greeted first by his beloved hamsters. "Welcome to hell Tanaka," Enoshima said, "Or as close to it as you'll ever get on this plain of existence." Tanaka chuckled. "Indeed. I hear much has been done to rebuild while we were captive. But Tora... You're brother's skill is impressive. Between the two of you... I can honestly say the apple doesn't fall from the tree." He then looked over to Sonia's unconscious form. "Would that I could do as in the fairy tales, Sonia... But fear not, you shall not be locked forever within that virtual nightmare!"

To be continued...

**Whew, this gets tiring. And I have to get this off a translated video. Oh well, read and review.**


	6. Chapter 5: Smile At Despair

**I was gonna go with something different for the ending (which is next chapter, not this one, keep your shirts on) but then I saw something in the game I use for the source material, and came up with a brand new idea. Disclaimer: I don't Dangan Ronpa or Ace Attorney.**

Chapter 5: Smile At Despair... Or Not

"Guys, wake up!," Fujisaki called out excitedly. Some days had passed since the program started, and that entire time both Fujisaki and Alter Ego had been working almost non-stop to find the AI Junko that Matsuda had made. And now they finally found it. "We can have the entire AI deleted during the next retrieval," Fujisaki said, "I've already made sure the entire thing is still on the system without any leaks. All we need to do is start the deletion process during the next incident. By the time the trial's done the whole thing will be inside the system trash file ready to be dumped." "Great work, Fujisaki," Tora said, "And from there we can proceed with the final confrontation."

* * *

When the gang assembled for breakfast the next morning, Hinata noticed two things. First, with the group dwindling, the restaurant kept feeling bigger and bigger. Second, Komaeda was nowhere to be found. None of them knew whether to consider that a comfort or a chilling thought. Owari, meanwhile, seemed to surprisingly chipper in spite of Nidai's death. "Hey, Souda, that Mini-Nidai doll you gave me was great. It even had a massage feature. Felt just like ol' man Nidai's chiropractic exercises." "Is _that_ what you have been doing together in your cabin," Souda said, "Now I feel stupid. Considering the relationship you two seemed to have..." Owari ignored him and kept eating.

Monomi had shown up, looking battered and bloody. It seemed she had managed to defeat the last of the Monobeast, leaving the entire archipelago free to explore. Still needing to find out more about the World Destroyers, or perhaps make contact with Future Foundations, the group decided to head out to the new island and see what they could find. The last island appeared to be some sort of sci-fi city, and there was no denying it held promise. Among the features in the city was a side street filled with food stalls, all of which seemed to be fully stocked. "This is perfect," Kuzuryuu said, "We were starting to get tired of the food at the restaurant."

Another building on the island was a factory styled to look like Monokuma. The interior was a mass-production facility that was making a number of stuffed toy versions of Monokuma. Hinata noted that each of them was pure white, rather than white on the right side and black on the left. As Hinata and Nanami were checking the place out, Monokuma popped up yet again. "Nice, huh? I've really hit the jackpot with this little idea. But I was worried that some people might be turned off by my natural design, handsome as it is. So I went with a more cuddly version. I call them 'Ukumas'. You know, like how Monomi used to be called 'Usami'?"

The warehouse next to the factory had all kinds of merchandise that seemed to revolve around the first group of students that had escaped the academy. From Oowada-brand butter, to aluminum bats stamped with Kuwata's signature. There were even promotional campaign posters for the mercenary group Fenrir Company with Ikusaba plastered on them like a glam shot. "I see you're browsing," came Monokuma's voice again. Sure enough, yet again he popped up out of nowhere. "These guys proved too much for my little game, so I thought I'd show I'm no sore loser by promoting their likeness. And man! Are these things flying off the shelves! Especially Sayaka Maizono's 'Greatest Hits' album. That's a real bestseller."

Monokuma then sighed. "My only real blunder are the panels you see over there." He pointed to a bunch of Monokuma panels that were stacked up on top of each other. "I was hoping to have these displayed in front of shops selling this merchandise, but test groups didn't like it. So now I find myself with too many. Oh well, that's why you have test groups in the first place. Besides, the new standees of Tora Wright were far more popular. Must be the suit... Then again, I did look good in a blue suit." The next spot to check out was a large military base, filled with all kinds of assault vehicles. Hinata even saw the helicopter that was used in Hanamura's execution.

"Look at all this stuff," Owari said, "I suppose it could be useful against the World Destroyers when we finally confront them, but how are we supposed to use it all?" Sonia seemed surprised. "You mean no one else here knows how to use these weapons? In Novoselic, even elementary students know how to use firearms." Hinata and Owari looked at Sonia with blank faces. "Oh," Sonia said, "The elementary schools in my country have a course on warfare. After all, what good is a weapon if you don't know how to use it?" Owari cleared her throat. "I'll stick to my fists, thanks."

"There's something else," Sonia said, "I think Future Foundations may be closer than we think." "Really?!," Hinata said excitedly, "Then why haven't they made contact yet?" Sonia shrugged. "I found this file concerning their activities. It seems they had plans to convert this island into a base of operations. Many modifications have already been made, explaining why the island seems so different from the tourist brochure." Owari nodded. "Like the inclusion of bridges between islands. And the fact that a park now rests where the administrative building once stood."

Meanwhile, Souda and Kuzuryuu were inside a building name Watatsumi Industrial. "I know about this company," Souda said, "It processed resin, ceramics, and insulators to make electronic insulation and machine parts." "This must have been there main research facility then," Kuzuryuu said, "Where they based on the island?" Souda nodded. "I read about them from a pamphlet I got from the front desk, but I've used some of the equipment they produce before. But take a look at what the machines here are manufacturing now." He pointed to the assembly floor. There was no mistaking it, the equipment was busy making a brand new Monobeast.

"If this place was meant to be used by Future Foundations," Souda said, "Then perhaps they had a struggle with the World Destroyers, and one of them redesigned this facility to make machines of war. It's impossible to say which side, but Monokuma was commanding the ones we've seen already." Kuzuryuu looked around and saw something. "That's not the only thing interesting here. That device over there looks like it's making some kinda android. Maybe this is were Monokuma made that Mecha Nidai. From making machine parts to making entire machines. There's definitely been some a lot of modifications done to this island."

The group met up back at the street stalls, where Komaeda finally joined them. "Ah... I see you guys have been investigating without me. That's kinda depressing, but I can understand under the circumstances. As for me, I've had some to think about things. And I've come up with too interesting facts. First... We're currently caught between a game instigated by the World Destroyers, and a rescue attempt by Future Foundations. But the true nature of that is something one wouldn't normally be able to believe. And second... Do you remember how surprised we were that Togami, who had survived the first game, died so quickly when the second game was started here on the island? I kinda find that unnatural, given his skills."

"So he caught an off day," Kuzuryuu said, "Happens to all of us, even if he was the Super High School Level Scion. It just so happened his off day was his last." "No, there's more to it," Komaeda said, "Hinata, you seemed surprised when you first laid eyes on Togami, didn't you?" Hinata gasped. "Yeah... I did. For reason I thought that a small girl, but one still in high school, would be standing where Togami was. I can't believe you remembered my reaction upon seeing him." Komaeda chuckled. "Well, a man needs more than luck to get through life. Even someone like me needs to have some level of skill, minor as it is, or I wouldn't last very long."

He then walked off. "Oh, if you see Monokuma again, tell him the next incident will be the last. I just need to discover the traitor's identity, and then this will all be over. Even if I have to end my life in the process." When he was gone, Souda said, "Is he still on about that? What if the traitor is dead already? I mean, if Togami's not we thought he was, he could have been the traitor. Tsumiki's letter spoke of Future Foundations as being her enemy. Those are the only two who could definitely qualify. I mean, I could point the finger at some of the others, but I don't wanna risk bodily injury."

"One way or another," Kuzuryuu said, "It sounds like Komaeda is plotting murder himself this time, and he has the traitor in his sights. We need to stop him... By force if necessary!" Souda nodded. "All six of us together should be able to deal with him no problem. But first we need to come up with a plan. Give me a few hours and I'll see what I can do." The group returned to their cabins for the night. Hinata felt een more tired than usual. _'So many clues... But can and can't we trust. Caught between two powerful organizations, one that wants to toy with us, and one that wants to help us. And could Komaeda really find the traitor in our group? Was there even one to begin with? Or was Monokuma telling the truth, and the traitor is already dead?'_

* * *

On the lonely beach on the first island, Komaeda was busy talking to someone. "Are you sure it has to be me?," they said. Komaeda nodded. "Your the only person I'd allow to take my life, since your the last person who would want to. But it's all right. You know the reality of this place as much as I do." The person nodded. "But can you really go through with it? It'll be really painful, and you'll still feel that pain until the simulation kicks you out." "To tell the truth," Komaeda said, "The whole thing makes me nervous. But the alternative is even more frightening, so I'll do what I have to in order for us to escape."

* * *

"Well," Souda said the next morning, "It's not much of a plan, but I decided to go with something simple. We just have one person tell Komaeda they need to talk to him about something, then after they've lured him back to the hotel, we have two others grab him when he isn't looking." He decided to have himself and Owari be the ones to grab Komaeda, while Nanami would be the one to lure Komaeda to the hotel. Kuzuryuu was to waiting nearby with some rope. Since Sonia and Hinata were free, she invited him back to the strange ruins on the second island. "I found something in the file regarding Future Foundations," she explained, "More details regarding the students involved with the first game, and the roles they were meant to play."

She stood in front of the metal gate. "Do you remember that the first incident was meant to be Kuwata killing Maizono after her failed attempt to kill him?" "Sure," Hinata said, "That was mentioned in the Monokuma Museum in the Surprise House." Sonia nodded. "This file contains the various clues that were meant to be laid out pointing to Kuwata's involvement. Chief among them was a dying message written in Maizono's blood. It was supposed to be Leon, Kuwata's first name, but she was to wind up writing it upside-down. Thus the message would be made to look like the numbers '11037'."

"I see," Hinata said, "But what does that have to do with the ruins?" "Just a hunch I had," Sonia replied, "You see, according to the dossier on the students, Maizono is one of three girls close to Makoto Naegi, the Super High School Level Hope. He was meant to be the face of Hope's Peak Academy. I'd say that makes him very important to Future Foundations. Which makes me think... What if the password to open the door is 11037?" Hinata thought about it for a bit. "Hm... That sounds likely, since it'd be so hard to determine without the file... But let's wait until after we've corralled Komaeda first, just in case he tries anything while we're inside."

That night, Hinata heard the doorbell to his cottage ringing. He was surprised to Komaeda standing there in the door. "Hey there, Hinata. Nanami said she wanted to talk to me about something. However, I thought you guys might be planning something, so I decided to come here first." Hinata was shocked at Komaeda's words. "I see I was right," Komaeda said, "No matter, I wanted to talk to you about something as well. I'll meet you in the lobby, since that's were Nanami wanted to meet me. And I have a feeling that's were the others were hoping to ambush me." And with that, he walked out. _'How could he have figured it out?,'_ Hinata thought to himself, and hurried after Komaeda to the hotel lobby.

When he got there, Owari already had Komaeda in a headlock. However, Komaeda was surprisingly calm. "I see you guys are intent on keeping me out of mischief. Well, I don't blame you. Problem is, I've already set up some mischief ahead of time." He grinned in a frightening manner. "Let's start... The Beginning of the End of Jabberwock Island!" And with that, a massive explosion rocked the entire hotel, throwing Souda across the room and the others into disarray. In the chaos, Owari wound up letting go of Komaeda as she ran to check on Souda. When Hinata, found himself able to open his eyes again, he saw Komaeda standing in front of the blaze, laughing like a maniac.

"This is how it ends...," Komaeda said, "No more murders... No more doubting... No more self-justification... With the destruction of Jabberwock Island, I'll end it all here!" "Komaeda...," Hinata said, "Have you finally lost it...?!" Komaeda grinned. "No... Rather, I've finally seen the truth. I've found something that reveals the reality behind this game. And this is little more than a demonstration. After all, what better way to begin the celebration than a little fireworks display. Trust me, the real bombs I've prepared are more powerful than this." Hinata gasped. "Did you day bomb...?" Komaeda chuckled. "I've hidden a massive quantity of military grade explosives somewhere on this island. When they go off, the explosion will have more than enough power to blow this island of the face of the map."

"You're insane!," Hinata said, "With no way for us of the island, we'll all be killed in the blast!" Komaeda shrugged. "That's how it goes. After all, once the finale's done, there's nothing left for the actors but to disappear from the stage. Oh, don't worry, I've still left some room for survival, just to make things interesting. You see, the devices I've prepared are time bombs. They're set to go off the day after tomorrow at noon. Better put that brain to work finding them, Hinata. After all, you went to a trouble to make it stronger. Of course, if the traitor comes out and reveals themself, I'll tell them where the bombs are. I'm sure they'd go and try to disarm them, so you could just follow them. Good luck. After all, I've got plenty of luck to spare." And with that, he headed out.

* * *

Tora spotted Komaeda back inside his cottage. 'The setup's complete,' Komaeda said, 'By the time he figures out the other bombs are fake, I'll already be outside the system, or at the very least ready to leave it.' Tora nodded. "This is gonna be rough, y'know. Are you sure you want to go through with it?" 'No turning back now, is there?,' Komaeda replied, 'If I back out now, Kamukura will get suspicious. I have to see this through to the end. It's either that, or become a puppet for life. I will admit though, I'm not looking forward to the pain involved. After all, the wounds will be fake, but the pain will be real.' Tora nodded as he closed. "I'd say good luck, but you don't need any." Komaeda smiled as the transmission cut.

* * *

The next morning, Komaeda interrupted the groups breakfast to give them a hint as to the location of the bombs. According to him, they were in a place the group hadn't been to yet. "There's only two places that we haven't explored yet," Kuzuryuu said, "Inside the ruins, and Nezumi castle." "We need a password to get inside the ruins," Nanami said, "So there's no way Komaeda hid the bombs there. So they must be inside the castle." Sure enough, the entrance to the castle looked like it had been blown open.

The inside of the castle looked nothing like the rest of the amusement park. It was more like a cathedral inside. And more importantly, there didn't seem to be any place to hide a pile of bombs large enough to destroy the entire island. Then Hinata noticed something. On a large stone set into the floor were the words, "The password that will lead you to the future is...". But the rest of it was scratched out. "If there's nothing here," Kuzuryuu said, "Then the only other place are those ruins." "Unless Komaeda was leading us on," Souda said, "For all we know, he could have given us a fake hint to make us waste time." Hinata sighed. "Well, we have one more day to find them. Let's try to get some rest. Tomorrow we'll comb the entire island if we have to."

* * *

Komaeda sat in his cabin as he heard the others returning to theirs. _'I already scratched out the password found in the castle. But with the file Sonia found, they already have it. Question is, will they try it? Of course, tomorrow they'll found out I was bluffing anyway. I hope they understand why I'm doing this.'_ He looked at the monitor. _'That first day when Monokuma, really our old friend Enoshima speaking through a microphone, showed up, Hinata was made to see somethin terrible, while the rest of us were brought up to speed on the situation. I was able to get some work done when Hanamura freed Ooshida, but wasn't able to help any further than that. But now...'_

* * *

The next day, Hinata was shocked when he saw Owari try to strangle Komaeda with her bare hands, trying to get him to reveal the locations of the bombs. Luckily, Nanami was able to get Owari to snap out of it by giving her a quick slap to the face. "Whew," Komaeda said, "I guess I owe you guys one." "The perhaps," Sonia said, "You might give us the password to the ruins. You hid the bombs there, did you not?" "Ah," Komaeda said, "I thought you might piece it together. That's why I decided to move the bombs. This time they're somewhere you've been to at least once." "What a minute!," Souda said, "That's the entire island!"

"True," Komaeda said, "Though... If you each take one island, it shouldn't be too hard to find them. It's all right. I trust in you guys. Well, see ya." And he walked out of the hotel. The six students quickly spread out and started searching. Finally, Kuzuryuu manged to find the bombs at the doll factory on the final island. Inside the factory was a military truck connected to some sort of switch. Piled on top of the truck's back was a literal ton of military-grade explosives. Not enough to destroy the island, as Komaeda claimed, but definitely enough to cause some serious damage to the surrounding area.

"Damn," Souda said, "No good. It looks like the bombs a rigged to blow if the engine shuts off. Worse, the engine is hooked up to this detonation switch, which is welded shut." "Well we have to do something!," Owari said, "Those bombs are gonna go off any second!" Just then, Hinata noticed the conveyor belt for the factory wasn't moving, and on top of it was a laptop brought from Electric Alley. Hinata turned it on, and a video message of Komaeda popped up.

'Nice work. I knew it was right to have faith in you all. After all, this is how hope prevails over despair. Disabling those bombs should prove easier than finding them. See the card reader on the detonator? Just hold your ElectroiD up to it, and the time will stop. One catch, however... It has to be the traitor's ElectroiD. You see, I've found out who the traitor is. I admit I was disappointed that they didn't come forward earlier, which is why I've set up this little game. So, traitor, what'll it be? Everyone's fate depends on you... But if you step forward to disable the bombs, you'll be exposed.'

And with that, the message ended. "Damn," Owari said, "Just another trap to lure out the traitor. Well, I guess we'll have to all try it and see whose ElectroiD turns it off." "Hold on," Souda said, "What if it's set up so anyone else's ElectroiD sets off the explosives." "Rather than waste time arguing," Nanami said, "We should be taking action." And with that, she took out her ElectroiD and tried it on the scanner. Nothing happened. "Okay, who's next?" But before anyone else could try, the engine of the truck died down. "Crap..." Souda said, "We're too late! The truck's out of gas!" "Wait!," Sonia said, "It's all right, these aren't real bombs!"

At that moment, the sound of fireworks was heard going off behind them. They all turned in surprise as the what they thought were bombs turned out to be significantly less lethal firecrackers. The laptop's video message started up again. 'Were you guys startled? I guess in all the panic, none of you stopped to think were I could find bombs powerful enough to blow up the island. I know I'd be the same, so I can't blame you for not realizing it was a fake. I'm guessing during the scramble, you guys didn't find out who the traitor is. But I'd like to hear it in person. I'm in the warehouse next door. There I'll announce who the traitor is.'

"Damn that Komaeda!," Owari said, "I'm really gonna kill him this time!" And with that, she rushed out to the warehouse, the others following her. The door to the warehouse seemed to be locked, but Owari managed to bust it open with little trouble. Inside the warehouse it was complete dark, and there was a strange, religious sounding music playing. Then after a few seconds, a sudden blaze occurred. "Shit!," Owari said, "How did this get set off?!" "No time to worry about that!," Sonia said, "I think there are some fire extinguishers in the kitchenette of that factory! Hurry!" Inside the break room were several canisters filled with chemicals designed to quickly put out fires. A simple throw was all that was needed, as the canisters were designed to break on impact.

The students grabbed several canisters and returned to the warehouse, were they started throwing the fire extinguishers at a burning curtain. However, it didn't seem to be having any sort of affect. Finally, they wound up running out of extinguishers. Luckily at that moment, the warehouse's sprinkler system turned on. "Thanks goodness," Nanami said, "All the smoke must have set them off." Within seconds, the fire was put out. "What a waste," Monokuma said, popping out of nowhere, "All that beautiful merchandise, completely soaked through. Oh well... All right guys, head for a bit while the warehouse airs out. When it's done you can start investigating."

After several minutes, Monokuma checked and gave the okay to let the students in. Inside, they noticed a space past the burned down curtain. When Hinata walked into it, his breath caught in his throat. Laying there was the most gruesome corpse to date. It was Komaeda, his limbs tied to the corners of the room. There was blood coming from his left arm, right hand, and both thighs. A large spear was sticking out of his stomach. Yet somehow, his face, eyes wide open and without pupils, had a look of sheer determination on it, even through the tape covering his mouth.

* * *

"Ow," Komaeda said once he was freed from the simulation, "Ow... Pain... Still stings... Still stings..." "Yeah," Gumshoe said, "There's gonna be some aftereffects. And you really put yourself through the ringer there, pal." "Yeah," Komaeda said, "Every few years or so, as I feel my luck start to run out, I find it necessary to put myself through some sort of torture to balance it out and get my luck back up. Though up until now, it's all been more mental than physical. Actually come to think of it, technically that hasn't changed. So, did my plan work?" Tora nodded. "And the entire time it was nearly impossible to determine whether or not you were insane. In fact, if we didn't know everything you did was scripted, I would have thought you _had_ snapped." Komaeda chuckled. "Sorry about that."

* * *

Hinata sunk to his knees at the sight. "So... This is what he meant... He planned to end the mutual killings... With his own death..." 'A body has been discovered. A school trial will commence after a short period of time. Make the most of it to discover who killed the victim.' "This is crazy...," Souda said, "How did this happen? Look at him... He looks totally messed up." "Maybe," Nanami said, "But there's no denying there was opportunity for someone to have murdered him. After all, we all split up after he announced that he had moved those bombs. And some time had passed between then, and when we reconvened at the factory."

"But to go this far...," Hinata said, "I mean, Togami was brutally stabbed multiple times, but that was because Hanamura couldn't be sure _what_ he was stabbing at. Pekoyama only needed one swing from that bat to kill Koizumi. Mioda may have suffered a little, but that's to be expected from strangulation. And Saionji had her throat slashed, she probably didn't even feel anything. Sure, Nidai got it worse than Komaeda, but he was a robot at the time. I don't think he could really feel pain anymore. This... This is just brutal..." "Brutal indeed," Monokuma said as he popped out, "I said to get the best results from the worst methods, but hoo boy! This takes the cake! So then..."

"Hold it!," Monomi said, quickly popping out herself, "I've put up with this for too long! From now on, Monokuma, I'm going to smash your goals!" "My goals?," Monokuma said, "But what about your own? You haven't even said anything about them. In fact, some of the students still suspect you're in league with me. Complete hogwash, of course. But no matter, right now you're too weak to do anything. Or haven't you noticed your failing strength?" Monomi stood there, completely shocked. "Let's just get this over with," Kuzuryuu said, "This time we'll finish it." "Getting bored are you?," Monokuma said, "Not to worry. The time limit on this game is just about over. Two more days left, I think."

"Wait," Hinata said, "There was a time limit?" "Of course," Monokuma said, "That's why I've been trying to move the killings along. You see, having only one person survive at the end just because you kept solving murders would be too cliche. The idea of leaving with a few surviving friends is far more appealing an ending to a great murder mystery. So, I set a time limit on the mutual game. When the clock runs out, all students still alive will be permitted to leave. Which likely means this will be the last trial in this little game. Well, Komaeda did say he'd end the game even at the cost of his own life. No, where was I...? Oh, right, you're Monokuma File."

"Well," Kuzuryuu said, "Let's not stand on ceremony. After all, we're dead if we can't solve this last murder, so being able to go home in two days won't mean jack shit we if don't do this right." "Still," Sonia said, "One of us will still have to be sacrificed... The person who killed Komaeda..." Hinata sighed, and got started with the investigation. In doing so, he learned the following:

-The Monokuma File was deliberately vague. It had detailed information on Komaeda's wounds, but nothing about cause of death. However, it did have time of death, stating that Komaeda died around noon, about a half hour before the body was discovered. Komaeda's left arm had been slashed, and his thighs had been stabbed.

-One of the beams above Komaeda's body had a straight red line that looked like blood.

-A small zippo lighter was found near the curtain. Since it was an oil-based lighter, it could continue to burn after someone stopped touching it. It was undoubtedly what started the fire, probably set up with some sort of mechanism.

-One of the life-sized Monokuma dolls was found near the body. It had a hole in it, which ws surrounded by blood.

-The knife embedded in Komaeda's right hand looked to have come from the army facility. From the looks of the wounds on Komaeda's arm and thighs, they were created by the same knife.

-The rope tied to Komaeda's right arm seemed to have been burnt up completely, yet other than his hand, Komaeda's right arm was perfectly fine.

-In spite of the blood that had gushed out of his wounds, Komaeda's left palm was clean. Even stranger, the back of his hand was clean except for two knuckles on each finger.

-Kuzuryuu noted that other than the spear wound, none of Komaeda's injuries was designed to kill. Thus, it was clear that someone had tortured him first, either to get information from him or because they simply hated him enough.

-After carefully removing the tape on Komaeda's mouth, Nanami noted there was a void in the blood. Because the tape had been bent inward towards Komaeda's mouth, it meant he had been gagged prior to receiving his injuries.

-The spear in Komaeda's stomach appeared to be the same as several that could be found in Nezumi castle. The spear was attached to a rope, and was meant to be used by trapping a victim with the rope and then running them through with the spear. Naturally the spear itself was covered in blood. However, the rope was also covered in blood, save for a small void about the size of a human fist.

-Several of the Monokuma standees were scattered on the floor, with the ones closest to the curtain being singed. From the look of the straight line the standees seemed to make, it clear they were set up that way for some reason, ready to be knocked down by opening the door.

-An MP3 player hooked up to a speaker was found just inside the warehouse. It was waterlogged, but was obviously used to play the strange music they had heard while the fire was burning.

-Sonia explained the reason she knew the bombs in the factory were fake was because she had tried them before, hoping to blast her way into the ruins. They had originally come from the army base, and she had noticed them go missing around the same time Komaeda set up his scare-tactic.

-Noting all the Monokuma dolls in the factory, Sonia thought perhaps the bomb Komaeda used in the hotel might have been hidden in them. Monokuma popped out and stated he had already tried that trick once, but got bored of it. At this point none of the Monokuma dolls had any bombs in them. He also confirmed that the bombs in the army facility were fake, which left Hinata thinking the real bomb Komaeda used came from the Octagon.

-Inside Komaeda's cottage, underneath his bed, was a bag from the market. Inside was a real gas mask and rubber gloves, which were likely taken from the army facility.

-Also under the bed was an aluminum safety seal.

-There was also a refrigerator in Komaeda's cottage, even though the other cottages didn't have one. Inside was a brown bottle that was clearly labeled as a poison. The warning label on the back stated that the poison was strong and fast-acting. It was not very volatile, but could be dangerous if it vaporized. As gas, it would become heavier than air and degrade after several minutes. The gas was easily inhaled. The label also stated that the poisoning effect could not be cured, and that the container should be kept refrigerated in a plastic or glass container, and out of direct sunlight. Nanami noted the only place Komaeda could have gotten this was from the Octagon, which meant he had it and the bomb since the last trial. Also, only a third of the poison was still in the bottle.

-A pink treasure box was found on the table in Komaeda's cottage. When Hinata opened it, he found a notebook that belonged to Monomi. What was weird was that after a while, some of the entries were for things Monomi shouldn't have known. Moreover, she technically shouldn't have been able to write in the notebook, since she was just an animatronic doll with no real digits.

-Among the books on Komaeda's book shelf was the file he had been given on the students. However, it was much more detailed than he let on. Hinata breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Komaeda had been telling the truth about the Ultimate Hope Program, turning Hinata from an ordinary prep school student in the Super High School Level Scholar. But what was strange was that the picture was slightly different. His face was the same, but his hair was longer and black and his eyes were red. He was also wearing a black suit. There was also the fact that he was somehow a year older than the other students. There was great detail about the students progress, stopping about a year ago. More than that, there was no file on Byakuya Togami. Only on a girl named Chie Ooshida, the Super High School Level Imposter, who looked much smaller than Togami had been. However, the file said she was a master disguise artist, and her small size let her mimic however she wanted. She could have easily used stilts and grabber arms to make herself look like the larger Togami. Hinata got the impression Ooshida was the real first victim, not Togami.

"Well now," Monokuma said, "I see you've found it." Hinata had just finished going through the file. "This file," Monokuma said, "Contains all the memories the World Destroyers took from you. And guess what, Future Foundations was hoping to restore them somehow. Get through this last trial, and I'll tell you more about how they did. Trust me, it'll blow your mind. And perhaps, Hinata, we should start calling you just 'Hajime' from now on. After all, if you'll look in the file, it gives your name as 'Hajime Wright'." Hajime looked and saw Monokuma was right. _'Come to think about it, Komaeda did say Tora Wright is my brother. So, it would stand to reason we would share the same last name. Tora Wright... The Super High School Level Attorney. And our father Phoenix Wright, the Ace Attorney. I'm starting to remember. I just have to get through this last trial.'_

* * *

"So he found it after all," Komaeda said, "But it's too late now. Now him seeing those files will only help us. Before, Kamukura could have intervened and destroyed the file." "It's almost over...," Tsumiki said, exasperated, "Honestly, just having to go through all this is exhausting." Fujisaki nodded. "Yeah... But I'm almost finished. The deletion process will be complete by the end of the trial. Then we can finally confront the man behind all this." "What I wanna know," Kuwata said, "Is why Kamukura did this in the first place? Successfully storing his brain on a computer, then using transferring it to someone else just so he could create a world filled with despair... That's messed up." Ooshida shrugged. "Let's just sit and enjoy the popcorn... Oh, and the show." Enoshima then noticed the Monomi program just standing in the virtual trial room. "Well, well."

She cleared her throat and spoke into the mic. "Oh, Monomi? My adorable little sister? Why so quiet? Oh, you're really growing up... Is it that time of the month already? But wait, you're a rabbit!" The Monomi program remained silent. Enoshima nodded to Fujisaki, who imputed a few commands to the Monokuma program. Instantly Monokuma nailed Monomi right in the cheek. "Chesto!," Enoshima cheered. But there was no reaction. Fujisaki made Monokuma use a screw attack. "One more!," Enoshima said. The Fujisaki inputted a hadouken-type fighting command. "All right," Enoshima said, "How do you like that?" The Monokuma program performed a thousand-crack fist attack. Still, Monomi refused to speak. "I think the program has stopped resisting," Fujisaki said. Enoshima sighed. "Well, this is useless."

* * *

Sonia: S-Stop this, please! Miss Monomi is too pitiful!

Monokuma: Well... I guess it's not time to play with Monomi right now. After all, the trial's already begun. All right, the victim this time is Nagito Komaeda, who tried to reveal the traitor... Whoever could have killed him? It's very curious...

Kuzuryuu: If he died while trying to expose the traitor... Then that must mean the traitor was the murderer! The bastard murdered Komaeda to keep his mouth shut!

Souda: ...No, that's not necessarily true.

Kuzuryuu: What? Are you taking the traitor's side or something? The fucker who ignored us when we were in danger? Wait! Are you the traitor?!

Souda: A-Are you joking?! That's ridiculous!

Monokuma: Upupu, we'd better hurry and get on with the discussion while we've got this mood going!

Souda: The murderer wasn't trying to silence Komaeda! They wanted to torture him!

Sonia: The reason that Mr. Komaeda's body was covered in wounds...

Souda: Was because the murderer tortured Komaeda for information!

Hajime: Komaeda's mouth was covered with tape, so he couldn't have said anything. If they were really trying to torture Komaeda for information, then they wouldn't have taped his mouth shut like that. But if they taped up his mouth...

Souda: No, I've figured it out! It's a trap!

Hajime: ...A trap?

Souda: You've been caught in the murder's trap, Hajime! All right, if Komaeda's mouth had been taped shut... It would seem like he wouldn't have been able to talk, right? But that's the trap! It was so you wouldn't pick up that they'd asked him anything!

Hajime: But if they taped up his mouth... He really couldn't have said anything!

Souda: Listen up, this is what really happened! First, the murderer tortured Komaeda for information... And learned the location of the bomb! Then, after they killed him...

Hajime: No, that tape was stuck on there before Komaeda was tortured.

Souda: Wh-What...?!

Owari: Ugh, stop talking about this tape thing... Or do rock paper scissors to decide who's right.

Nanami: There's no need to play rock paper scissors, it's true that the tape was put on before Komaeda was injured.

Souda: Why are you always on Hajime's side...?! Do you like him or something?

Nanami: When I took the tape off of Komaeda's mouth, you were there too, weren't you Souda? Think about it... There wasn't any blood underneath the tape, was there?

Hajime: The splatters of blood on his face came from the wounds on his arm... Then that tape must have been over his mouth before his arm was injured.

Nanami: Also, the tape was heavily creased in the middle... That probably happened because Komaeda was moving his mouth desperately underneath.

Kuzuryuu: So you mean they taped his mouth shut so that he couldn't scream... ...Then what I said at the beginning was right! They weren't trying to get information out of him, they were trying to shut him up!

Sonia: But if their goal was to silence him, then there would have been no need to inflict such horrific injuries...

Kuzuryuu: They must have really heated the guy...

Sonia: Then... You are saying that they hurt him like that simply to cause him pain?

Owari: Those injuries were pretty intense... Is the murderer some kinda psycho or something?

Kuzuryuu: They're not just crazy, they're cunning too. If not... Then they never would have thought to destroy all the evidence with that fire...

Owari: Huh? That fire was to destroy evidence?

Souda: Well, why else?

Sonia: The question is who set the fire. When the fire first began, everyone here was gathered together in front of the warehouse.

Hajime: That's right... And as soon as we opened that door, everything started burning.

Sonia: Then... That would mean that the fire could not have been started by anyone here...

Souda: But it couldn't be anyone else... Right? Not that it's anything new to say that...

Kuzuryuu: And the timing is too convenient... For it to be random.

Sonia: If this follows the established pattern... Then this crime too must utilize some sort of gimmick, wouldn't you say?

Owari: Some kinda gimmick... What is it?

Sonia: W-Well, I don't know, but... It's been that way in all of the incidents up to now.

Souda: It's just like Lady Sonia to be so astute! Her learning abilities are ace, too! All right, let's use Lady Sonia's idea as a starting point and go forward from there! That works, right Lady Sonia?!

Sonia: Yes, very well! The direct cause of that fire... Was the zippo light we found, was it not?

Souda: The murderer used some method... To set fire to the curtain using the lighter!

Nanami: What method?

Kuzuryuu: They could have used gasoline instead of a powder train...

Owari: Or they coulda just thrown the lighter.

Sonia: It is possible to keep a zippo lighter... Still upright and yet burning!

Souda: So if you somehow knocked the light over... You could set fire to the curtain!

Nanami: How would you knock it over?

Owari: You could use some kind of invisible thread...

Souda: You could use sound vibrations to knock it over, too!

Sonia: Or maybe use the door opening as some kind of trigger...

Hajime: I agree that the door opening was what set off the fire.

Sonia: It must have set off some sort of wind! Like a Japanese Kamaitachi!

Hajime: No, it wasn't a wind... They used the Monokuma panels. There were Monokuma panels scattered everywhere in the warehouse, remember? They looked like they had just been thrown all over the place, but there was one neat line where they had all fallen over in order. All the way from the door to the origin of the fire.

Kuzuryuu: ...Why is that important?

Hajime: The murderer used the Monokuma panels as dominoes.

Owari: Dominoes... You mean that game where you take the little pieces and have them knock each other down in a line?

Nanami: Instead of those pieces, the murderer used the Monokuma panels. When we opened the door, the first panel right in front of it fell down, and... The neatly lined up panels all fell down like dominoes, and eventually knocked down the lighter at the end of the chain, setting the curtain aflame.

Kuzuryuu: But if all those big panels fell over, wouldn't it have been really obvious?

Hajime: That's why they turned all the light off, so that we wouldn't be able to notice...

Souda: So then the reason that the warehouse was all dark... Was to try and hide that domino trick from us.

Nanami: And... The murderer used another method to try and hide it, didn't they?

Hajime: You mean... That MP3 player, right? That music was designed to keep us from hearing the noise the panels made as they fell...

Owari: That's right... Then that noise that was bugging me must have been the panels falling...

Nanami: But that wasn't the only thing that bothered you back then, was it Owari? If you think about it... You were confused when opening the door too, remember?

Owari: Oh! Then the Monokuma Panels must have been blocking the door!

Sonia: So the door opening sent the panels falling like dominoes, and they in turn knocked over the lighter...

Nanami: Mhm, so that is... How they set fire to the warehouse...

Souda: You look kinda worried.

Nanami: Do you remember what Owari said? That the door only opened a little bit...

Owari: Wasn't that because the panels were blocking it?

Nanami: The opening... It was too narrow for a person to pass through, wasn't it?

Kuzuryuu: Why...? Is that a problem?

Nanami: It's a huge problem... That's the only exit out of the warehouse...

Hajime: If the panels were close enough to the door that the door could only open a little bit... Then the culprit wouldn't be able to leave, right?

Kuzuryuu: I-I guess that's true...!

Owari: Then, could they have been hiding inside?

Kuzuryuu: Who? We were all outside!

Sonia: If we use the pattern set by the previous trials, then there must have been some device which...

Nanami: It's not as complicated as you might think... There's one person who could have set the fire.

Hajime: Do you mean...?

Sonia: Hajime...? Who are you thinking of...?

Hajime: If that was Komaeda, then...

Owari: Why're you talking about Komaeda?! Wasn't he the victim?

Nanami: He may not have been... Just the victim.

Owari: ...What?

Souda: I-If he wasn't just the victim, then... What else?

Nanami: Komaeda could have been the victim, and also... The murderer.

Kuzuryuu: You're saying it was suicide?! That's impossible! Don't you remember? The guy's body was covered with wounds! Are you saying... He did all of that himself?!

Nanami: Well... If it was Komaeda, doesn't it seem possible?

Kuzuryuu: That's not the problem! He was all tied up! I don't care how big a pervert he was, why the hell would he tie up his hands and feet like that?!

Nanami: ...Mhm, you're right.

Kuzuryuu: O-Oh... All right then, I just wanted you to know...

Nanami: We need to talk about how Komaeda tied himself up.

Kuzuryuu: W-We need to talk about it...? Why the hell does it need talking about?! It's obvious that he couldn't have done it! Tying up all your own limbs...

Hajime: Wait... Maybe that assumption itself it wrong.

Kuzuryuu: Wh-What... But all his limbs were obviously...

Hajime: No, not all four of them. The rope on his right hand was all burnt... So you can't think of that hand as really being tied down.

Kuzuryuu: Well, that... Was because of the fire! It was tied down before!

Hajime: I was burnt in the fire... You could think of it that way, but... It was done like that to trick us. I have proof. Look carefully at Komaeda's right sleeve. The rope is all burnt, but his sleeve is fine, right? That kind of burn pattern... It's clearly unnatural. The rope must have been pre-burnt. To try and make us think that it burned in the warehouse fire.

Nanami: If Komaeda's right hand hadn't been tied down, he could have moved it with ease, right?

Hajime: ...Yeah, that's right.

Owari: Hajime, awesome job! I'll let you touch my boobs!

Sonia: Miss Owari, you cannot sell yourself so cheaply! You must demand a more fitting price!

Kuzuryuu: ...Still, something's not right here!

Owari: All right... I can just make him put down a down payment before he touches them, right?

Kuzuryuu: Not that! I'm talking about Komaeda killing himself! Even if you say that his right hand wasn't tied down, what about that knife in his palm?

Souda: You're saying it's impossible to stab yourself in the right hand with your right hand...? Shit, you're right!

Owari: Hajime, you were wrong...! Return that down payment!

Hajime: W-Wait... There must... Have been a way!

Kuzuryuu: Then say it!

Owari: If you can't then I'm gonna take back that down payment times 10,000!

Kuzuryuu: Even if Komaeda's right hand was free... You can't use your right hand to stab yourself!

Sonia: Perhaps he threw the knife up... And the falling knife... Embedded itself in his hand.

Owari: Is he a knife-throwing expert or something...?

Nanami: Maybe he used something to hold the knife in place...

Hajime: It was that life-size Monokuma doll! Couldn't he have used that to hold the knife in place?

Nanami: That's right, so that was why there was a hole through the middle of that doll... He must have stuck the knife into the doll to stabilize it... And then slammed his hand onto it. Then he could leave the doll there, and the blood on the doll just creates another riddle to add to the case.

Hajime: That blood must have come from when Komaeda impaled himself on that knife...

Souda: Aha... So that's what he did...

Owari: For a second, I thought the real Monokuma was dead.

Monokuma: A doll that bleeds... Terrifying! It's as occult as a doll with hair that grows!

Nanami: After he used the doll to stab himself like that, he must have thrown it toward where the fire would be.

Souda: And if he was lucky, the fire would get rid of the evidence...

Sonia: Mr. Kuzuryuu, what do you think of that?

Kuzuryuu: I get how he hurt his right hand, but... The biggest question is still left. That spear in Komaeda's stomach... You guys are saying that he used that to stab himself, right? So... That must have been the fatal wound, and he must have done that last. ...But how? He couldn't use his right hand if it had a knife stuck through it, and his left hand was all tied up.

Owari: Then... He could have spread himself first and then held out until he...

Sonia: T-There must be a limit even to endurance! You could not last long with such a large, thick object inside of you!

Souda: I'm sorry, but... I didn't quite catch that...

Sonia: As I said... You could not last long with such a large, thick object inside of you!

Souda: C-Could you say it one more time, so I could record you?

Kuzuryuu: Calm the fuck down, you asshole...

Nanami: It is true that... It must have been rather hard to spear himself through the middle like that. It would be hard to use the spear if his right hand had a knife in it, and if he couldn't use his left hand because it was tied down...

Owari: Then maybe it's impossible.

Nanami: But I can't possibly believe that Komaeda's death was the result of murder.

Sonia: I... Agree with that. To think that one of us could perform such a bloody act... I cannot believe it.

Monokuma: You can't believe it...? Upupu, don't you mean you don't want to believe it? How many times had that trust been betrayed? So even this time...

Monomi: You stay quiet, you. Bothering these children is against the rules. If you bother them any more, I have half a mind to...!

Monokuma: Ahh, Monomi's gone off the rails!

Souda: S-Still... Monokuma is right... How many times have we been betrayed now...? So who knows if that's true again this time... It seems too hasty to just end it here...

Sonia: Then, Mr. Souda, are you saying that the murderer was one of us?!

Souda: W-Well, not including me and Lady Sonia, of course!

Nanami: Souda's right... We've been fooled over and over. But... Even if it means that I may be fooled, I want to believe in each other. No matter how many times I'm fooled... I still want to have faith.

Kuzuryuu: I want to think that there's no culprit, too... But a suicide is impossible.

Nanami: Is that... Really true?

Souda: Y-You said it yourself. It would be impossible to hold a spear in that condition...

Nanami: I said it would have been hard, I never said it was impossible. As for a method of spearing yourself like that... There must be... Some way.

Souda: Wh-What way?

Nanami: That, I don't know.

Owari: ...So you don't know.

Nanami: I can't do this alone, so... Let's all try and figure this out together. After all... That's how we've made it through this far.

Sonia: By... Combining all our efforts...

Hajime: ...All right, let's try!

Nanami: How Komaeda used the spear to stab himself... Let's all work together to figure out the answer!

Sonia: When that spear pierced Mr. Komaeda's body... The knife was incapacitating his right hand, was it not?

Souda: So only his left hand could have moved...

Kuzuryuu: But his left hand was tied up.

Souda: Then we have to ignore that too, I guess...

Hajime: Wait! We can't count his left hand out so quickly.

Souda: W-Why not... It was all tied up, wasn't it?

Hajime: There's something that concerns me about that hand. I mean the bloodstains... Aren't they a little strange? Only the bottom of his palm had any blood on it, and the upper part was weirdly clean, right?

Owari: Wouldn't that just mean that was as far as the blood went?

Nanami: Even if you accept that explanations for his palm, those weren't the only unnatural bloodstains. Think about the back of his hand... There was blood all the way up to the second knuckle of all his fingers.

Owari: That is kinda weird... Why was it like that?

Nanami: We might need to use our imaginations a little. If that's how the blood was on his hand... Then when the blood spattered, I wonder what shape his left hand was in.

Hajime: When the blood spattered, Komaeda's left hand was closed on something... That's why the blood pattern is so strange.

Owari: His tail?!

Sonia: N-No, not that... He was grasping the spear!

Nanami: Now that I think about it... Compared to the other areas on his body, the injuries on his arm were relatively minor, weren't they? He must have done that on purpose so he could hold onto the spear.

Kuzuryuu: Even if he had been holding onto the spear with his left hand, he couldn't have stabbed himself with it.

Hajime: Nanami, what do you think? Hey... You're not asleep again, are you?

Owari: It's like having an old-fashioned TV, you can just thump her on the head.

Nanami: Ah, I remember... I think.

Souda: Huh? Really?

Nanami: Mhm, it's clear that Komaeda was holding onto the spear... That's my opinion. The important part is what part of it he was holding onto!

Hajime: That's right... Komaeda wasn't holding onto the spear shaft, was he? He was holding onto the whip part! There's a weight at the end of that whip, and there was blood on there, too. And... There was a part on the whip that was missing any bloodstains...

Nanami: That space... Wasn't it about the width of a person's fist?

Owari: Oh, I get it! That's where Komaeda was holding on! So, the blood that would have gone there... Ended up on his left hand!

Kuzuryuu: But why is it important what part of the spear he was holding on to?

Souda: You're not suggesting... That he used the whip to fling the spear around and stab himself, are you?!

Sonia: There is a clue that will solve all of these questions, isn't there Miss Nanami? I am sorry... This is not a mystery to be solved so easily...

Souda: Hm...

Owari: Hmm...

Sonia: Everyone appears to be stumped... Should we take a break for tea?

Nanami: In times like this... Maybe we should use the strategy of, "Instead of attacking the problem itself, we should address what happened right before."

Owari: That's one long name...

Sonia: What happened before... What do you mean?

Nanami: First, we should try and figure out in what position, and where, the spear was right before it stabbed Komaeda.

Hajime: What position... The spear which pierced Komaeda's stomach... May have been hanging above him at a right angle to the floor.

Souda: At a right angle... In the air?

Sonia: If Mr. Komaeda did that by himself... Are you saying he used levitation?

Nanami: That would have been impressive, but... He probably used the ceiling beam which was right above him.

Hajime: First he hung the whip on the beam, and then used that as a sort of pulley... To pull the spear up so it was hanging directly above him. If the spear had fallen like that... It would have fallen and stabbed Komaeda, who was lying below.

Nanami: We saw a faint red line on that beam... That must have happened when he was carrying out his plan.

Hajime: When the spear fell, the blood on the whip got onto the beam. So what do you guys think? Komaeda could have used the spear to stab himself like that, right?

Souda: Really...? That was really how he killed himself...?

Nanami: Mightn't it be that... He purposefully used that murder weapon so that he could use it like that? If it had been a murder, then they wouldn't have needed to use that particular weapon.

Hajime: Yeah... When we were investigating this case, I had a lot of questions. Like why the murderer used both a knife and a spear...

Owari: I guess it was because he needed that spear to pull off the trick...

Kuzuryuu: Then... Is it true...? Did that bastard really... Commit suicide? So all those injuries on his body... He did to himself?!

Sonia: And... All while holding onto that spear, too...? Since the spear, which delivered the fatal wound, must have pierced Mr. Komaeda last... Are you saying that while grasping the spear, Mr. Komaeda inflicted injuries all over his own body?

Owari: And he stuck that tape on his mouth himself?

Nanami: He must have been worried that we would hear his screams, so he taped up his own mouth.

Souda: Wh-Why the hell would he go that far...? It's beyond crazy! How the fuck could you do something like that?!

Hajime: So that we would make a mistake... He designed a suicide that didn't seem anything like a suicide... To bring us to the wrong answer... That asshole's goal... Was to kill all of us!

Kuzuryuu: S-So, that's why... He did that to himself...?

Owari: So it was all to try and kill us?!

Souda: He's crazy... He was really, seriously crazy...

Hajime: Yeah... That's Komaeda...

Sonia: But... There is something I do not understand. Mr. Komaeda said he would reveal the traitor's identity, no? Then what happened...?

Souda: That bastard... Tried to kill the traitor, and all the rest of us too...

Sonia: Then, why did he not do so from the start? If he simply wanted to kill us all, he would not have had to create a bomb threat to draw out the traitor...

Kuzuryuu: That bomb threat could have been another part of the trick... Since we were all scattered looking for the bombs, no one had an alibi. He set up a situation where it seemed like any of us could have killed him!

Souda: He wanted to make us all suspect each other... So that we would never imagine it was a suicide.

Sonia: So that was why... He raised such a fracas?

Kuzuryuu: He's a self-destructive megalomaniac... It's totally in character...!

Sonia: So... It is...

Kuzuryuu: All right, it's decided now... Komaeda, that bastard, committed suicide. It was a plot he cooked up to mislead and destroy us.

Owari: Hmmm, that's it then... Right?

Kuzuryuu: Wh-What... Are you still not convinced?

Owari: Nah, I believe that Komaeda killed himself, but... There's still something that's bothering me, I just don't know what... ...I'm probably just being silly.

Monokuma: All right, what'll it be? Can we go into the voting now?

Kuzuryuu: What do you say, Owari?

Owari: Well, we know for sure that Komaeda killed himself, so... Whatever, my intuition's wrong sometimes.

Sonia: That is true... And it is hard to think of an alternative at this point.

Souda: Then... We can just end this now, right? We can end this last school trial... And go home? We can finally get to our happy ending, right?!

Monokuma: Is that all right with everyone? So the culprit... Has been decided? Very well, then. It is now voting ti-

Hajime: ...No, wait.

Monokuma: Hrk!

Kuzuryuu: Why'd you stop him...?

Hajime: I'm sorry, but... Just... Just give me a little more time... It just keeps bothering me.

Sonia: Do you mean... The identity of the traitor?

Kuzuryuu: Still, the question this time is who killed Komaeda, right? Even if we figure out who the traitor is, the answer'll be the same...

Hajime: That's... True, but...

Nanami: ...The identity of the traitor isn't the only riddle left. Komaeda's suicide... Can only be seen as such, but... I don't feel comfortable going into voting with all these riddles left unsolved.

Owari: Hey... You said it wasn't just the traitor? What other riddles are still left?

Nanami: There's one puzzle about Komaeda's death that we haven't completely solved... And... It's in a place that even he couldn't interfere with...

Souda: Argh, do we really have to keep going...I thought it was finally over...

Hajime: Do you mean the Monokuma File?

Nanami: Mhm... That's right...

Sonia: Sorry? Was there something suspicious about the Monokuma File?

Hajime: In this Monokuma File...The cause of death wasn't specified, was it?

Nanami: Isn't it strange? Until now, the cause of death had always been recorded...

Sonia: But... Isn't the cause of death obvious even at a glance? The spear wound in Mr. Komaeda's stomach... It was obviously the fatal wound.

Souda: Maybe it wasn't on there because it was so obvious it didn't need to be?

Owari: What's the deal there, Monokuma?

Monokuma: I plead the fifth!

Monomi: So you continue to follow this pattern... I am so disgusted I cannot speak!

Nanami: Earlier in Tanaka and Tsumiki's cases... The things which were deliberately omitted from the files turned out to be vital to solving each case, right?

Sonia: So you are saying that... That is also the case this time?

Kuzuryuu: W-Wait... Then... You're saying there's still a secret left as to how Komaeda died? Are you saying he didn't kill himself?!

Souda: That was you guys' suggestion in the first place!

Hajime: No... I think it's clear that... Komaeda did kill himself, but... But it's more like... It wasn't just a suicide... ...I've been thinking about it. About whether he... Really killed himself just to screw us over...

Owari: Are you taking Komaeda's side?!

Hajime: It's not like that. What I'm saying it... He probably had some awful intent in doing this...

Sonia: ...Awful intent?

Hajime: That guy's malevolence was beyond our wildest imaginations... That's what's bothering me right now. That kind of malevolence... It wouldn't just end the case here.

Sonia: ...What?

Hajime: Do you think a scheme that he sacrificed his life over would really just end here? When our opponent is Komaeda?

Monokuma: Upupu, how fun... You really, truly trust Komaeda. Since you trust in his malevolence, you constantly distrust him... You know... This might be a whole new form of friendship!

Hajime: Wh-What the hell are you calling friendship...?!

Nanami: What are the rest of you guys going to do? Do you really want to vote now? I think we should keep going until everything is clear. Just in case...

Sonia: That... Makes sense... As we only have one chance to cast our votes...

Kuzuryuu: You said just in case, right? Huh, I guess I've got no choice... I'll stick with this until the end, then.

Souda: This is fucking annoying, but... If all of you guys are doing it, then I can't not!

Owari: Hey, you hear that, Monokuma! Put off the voting!

Nanami: We've already come this far, so let's stay strong until the end. If we all join forces... Then I'm sure everything will be all right. ...I have faith in us.

Monomi: Zing... How heroic... You children are all so admirable right now... Yes! If all of you unite your hope, then you need fear no despair!

Monokuma: Upupupupupu...

* * *

"Okay," Komaeda said, "Now I know I overdid it. Seriously, 'malevolent'? I know what I did was off the scale of crazy, but that's just going too far." Tora sighed. "Don't worry. Right now only Hajime thinks this." "I'm just glad Nanami manged to extend the trial," Fujisaki said, "I'm almost done, but it's gonna take a little more time." The deletion bar for the AI Junko program was slowly moving, and Alter Ego was humorously breathing on it trying to make it go faster. "So what next?," Fukawa said, "Think he'll figure it out? All the clues Hajime needs are right there in front of him." Tora smiled. "My brother's the Super High School Level Scholar now. Trust me, he'll find a way. Because right now, it doesn't matter if he figures it out or not."

* * *

Owari: All right then, what are we gonna tackle first? The cause of death that was missing from the Monokuma File?

Nanami: Why don't we talk about the case without any preconceived notions? From the very start, we assumed that the spear had been the murder weapon... But we should explore a variety of other options as well... I think.

Kuzuryuu: Saying there's a variety of options is a bit of an understatement...

Sonia: If one tries to imagine a murder weapon other than the spear, only the knife in his hand comes to mind...

Hajime: That was a pretty bad wound, but... That's not really enough to kill someone, is it?

Nanami: Hm...

Souda: If you think about it like that, then... The injuries on his legs and his left arm are even less likely.

Nanami: Hmm...

Kuzuryuu: ...A dead end already?

Nanami: But... I still feel like there's a chance we're forgetting something...

Owari: Alright then, let's all just say whatever we think of. We'll get something that way, at least.

Sonia: Yes! It is at times like this that we most need to work together! Let us think of what else could have been the cause of death!

Souda: It couldn't have been that knife in his right hand, could it? Or any of his other wounds?

Kuzuryuu: Maybe all of those wounds together... Made him bleed to death?

Nanami: Burning to death in that fire... Couldn't have been it.

Sonia: What if it was something that didn't leave a mark?

Hajime: That's right... We forgot about that possibility... If it was something that didn't leave a mark... It could have been poison.

Owari: Poison...?

Sonia: That would not have left a mark, but... Why do you mention poison all of a sudden?

Hajime: I remembered that when we were going through Komaeda's room, we found something strange... Inside his refrigerator, there was a bottle labeled, "Monokuma's Special Poison."

Souda: P-P-P... POISON?!

Nanami: ...It even said it was "only for poisoning." That's right... Now that I think about it... Such an ominous thing had to have been connected with this case.

Sonia: I-If the murder weapon truly was poison, then it would not have left any evident traces on Mr. Komaeda's body...!

Kuzuryuu: Although there are some poison which do cause very obvious physical symptoms...

Souda: Hehe... He must know all about that kinda stuff because he's Yakuza.

Kuzuryuu: ...What are you saying?

Nanami: Even if the poison had caused some kind of symptoms, his body was so covered in blood that... It would have been hard for anyone to tell, wouldn't it?

Kuzuryuu: Y-You're not saying that he did all that just to hide any traces of poison?!

Nanami: ...It's a possibility.

Souda: But both of Komaeda's hands were useless, how could he have drunk the poison?

Owari: His left hand was tied up and was holding onto that spear... And his right hand had a knife stuck through it.

Sonia: If it was a slow-acting poison, perhaps he drank it beforehand?

Hajime: No, the label on the bottle said it was fast-acting.

Kuzuryuu: Then it must have been impossible. He couldn't have used either of his hands.

Owari: ...This is where that tail of his that gets hard comes in!

Souda: You're way too obsessed with that tail!

Kuzuryuu: In the first place, his mouth was covered by that tape, so he couldn't have drunk it anyway.

Nanami: If he couldn't have drunk the poison, then I suppose that theory might be useless... ...But there's still a possibility left.

Hajime: ...There is?

Kuzuryuu: There isn't! He was obviously killed by that spear!

Nanami: When we're backed into a corner like this, maybe it'd be easier to think about it the other way around? Like a kind of sudden-death elimination round! The clues will be on the bottle's label... Probably.

Hajime: He didn't drink the poison, but what if he inhaled it?

Sonia: Inhaled it...?

Hajime: That warning on the poison's bottle said... "When vaporized, it can be dangerous..." That must mean it's dangerous to breathe it in, right?

Owari: Poison gas! If you breathe that stuff in, you're done for! That musta been what happened to Komaeda!

Souda: So he inhaled the poison gas... Inside the warehouse? But if that gas was in the warehouse, how come we're fine?

Hajime: It was the sprinklers... That's what saved us from inhaling the poison.

Owari: So those sprinkler got rid of the fire AND the poison gas?

Nanami: That was on the bottle's label, too...

Sonia: ...So the gas decomposed! It must have degraded after coming into contact with the water from the sprinklers.

Nanami: Also, since the gas was heavier than air, it wouldn't have been much of a risk to use, since we were standing...

Owari: Komaeda was lying down, so he woulda gotten a big noseful...

Nanami: With those kinds of conditions, it's not just a possibility.

Hajime: That's right, Komaeda's real cause of death... Was poisoning! The wounds on his body, the spear in his stomach, all of those were just designed to distract us from the truth...

Souda: ...Okay, so what?

Hajime: ...Huh?

Souda: So I get that Komaeda died of poisoning... But so what? He still committed suicide, right? That's it, then!

Owari: Komaeda died from the poison that he prepared... Yeah, it is still a suicide.

Kuzuryuu: Well, it does feel good to have figured out the true cause of death. All right! We've solved everything! Now we can vote without worrying!

Hajime: W-Wait... But...

Souda: What? Is there still something left?

Kuzuryuu: ...Hey, what are you doing? We don't have any more reason to wait, do we?

Nanami: There might have been... An accomplice.

Sonia: M-Miss Nanami? What was it you just said?

Nanami: If Komaeda had inhaled the poison that he himself had brought... Why wasn't that thing left at the crime scene?

Owari: That thing...?

Nanami: If Komaeda brought the poison to the warehouse, it must have still been there...

Hajime: You mean... A container for the poison, right?

Nanami: Mhm, if Komaeda brought it to kill himself, then the container must have been there somewhere, right?

Owari: Can't you bring it without a container?

Hajime: No, this was on the instructions, too...

Kuzuryuu: Well, that... It must have burnt up in the fire.

Nanami: A plastic or a glass container? It wouldn't have burnt up without leaving a trace... Since those fire extinguishers had plastic containers too, and the pieces were still intact after the fire...

Hajime: Then... Do you mean someone cleared that container away?

Owari: So that's why you were talking about an accomplice!

Sonia: Th-There was no such thing! To suggest the existence of an accomplice...!

Souda: S-Still... It doesn't matter if there was one, right...? Because... Even if there was an accomplice... Komaeda still committed suicide...

Kuzuryuu: Th-That's right... And someone could have accidentally taken it away from the crime scene, too...

Owari: Oh, yeah! Yeah, I bet you're right!

Souda: You see? We can stop now, right? We don't need to delay any more! ...Huh?

Hajime: I feel like he's... Seeing through us right now! That he's watching us... Wanting to go with the easy answer and say that he killed himself, because we don't want to sacrifice anyone... If Komaeda were here, I know he'd be laughing at us. Saying, "So this is as far as your hope goes."

Monokuma: ...It sounds like Komaeda's ghost is whispering to you! Upupu! Forget about a friendship that lasts beyond the grave, this is more like a hot development from one of my shonen mangas! ...And just like I thought it ended up getting all warped!

Monomi: Hush! Will you please just keep out of it!

Kuzuryuu: ...I-I get what you're saying... But isn't it the same as the cause of death earlier? Even if we figure out what's going on with that container, the result is still the same...

Souda: Since either way, he still committed suicide?

Sonia: E-Even if there were an accomplice... Would we really need to reveal them? As Kuzuryuu suggested earlier, they may have carried the container out accidentally...

Hajime: Still... If our eyes are turned away from the truth... We can't just end it there...!

Owari: Yeah, we can! Sometimes it's better not to know everything! The container coulda gotten mixed up with those fire extinguishers so we coulda ignored it or something, too...

Hajime: ...Oh! Yeah... I see now...

Nanami: ..Hm?

Hajime: ...It was the fire extinguishers. Komaeda put the poison inside a fire extinguisher container to carry it to the warehouse!

Owari: What... He used one of the fire extinguisher bottles?!

Hajime: Yeah, so someone didn't accidentally remove it... It was a container he never need anyone to remove in the first place. If he had used that kind of container to transport the poison to the warehouse... The pieces would have gotten mixed up with the pieces of the fire extinguishers that we used, so he wouldn't have to worry about them being discovered later.

Owari: That bastard... He knew we were gonna throw those fire extinguishers?!

Sonia: So you mean... That Mr. Komaeda switched out the contents of one of the fire extinguishers?

Hajime: Yeah, that's right.

Sonia: When I first found the fire extinguishers, I investigated them a slight bit... Underneath the caps, the fire extinguishers were tightly sealed with a piece of aluminum foil.

Owari: Couldn't you just... Take that off and then switch the insides?

Sonia: That is true, but... We did not see any evidence of that inside the kitchenette...

Hajime: ...Wait. You said aluminum foil?

Nanami: Hajime... You don't think...

Hajime: Then there's no doubt about it... Komaeda switched out the contents of one of the fire extinguishers.

Souda: Hell, that's wrong! Weren't you listening to Lady Sonia?!

Nanami: What Sonia said about how he might have switched out the extinguisher fluid for the poison is the basis for what we're saying...

Sonia: ...Truly?

Hajime: Look... When we were searching Komaeda's room, we found thus under his bed.

Kuzuryuu: ...Huh? It's just a piece of trash.

Sonia: N-No... I do not think it is just trash. It is the same blue aluminum... As what I saw covering the tops of the fire extinguisher bottles.

Owari: So the same foil from the tops of the fire extinguisher... Was in Komaeda's room?

Nanami: Also, that wasn't the only thing we saw in Komaeda's room. We found a gas mask and a pair of gloves under his bed, too.

Kuzuryuu: Did he use those... When he was switching out the fire extinguisher fluid for the poison?

Hajime: It was a dangerous poison, so... He must have taken a lot of precautions while handling it.

Souda: S-So what?! Komaeda put the poison inside the fire extinguisher container himself, and then the bastard died after breathing his own poison, right? In the end, it's still suicide! So we're done!

Owari: I-I guess you're right... Since if no one cleared anything away, there musta not been an accomplice after all.

Kuzuryuu: See... The verdict's still the same. Komaeda committed suicide...

Nanami: I must have been mistaken about an accomplice. There was no such person...

Sonia: Th-That is what I said.

Nanami: No, the truth... Is much more disturbing...

Kuzuryuu: The truth... Is much more disturbing?

Owari: What are you gonna bring up now?

Souda: Wh-What... You still want to keep going...?!

Sonia: It is over now, is it not? It is clear that Mr. Komaeda committed suicide...

Nanami: ...That's not true!

Hajime: N-Nanami...?

Nanami: I'm sorry... But I realized...

Hajime: You realized... What?

Nanami: We know that Komaeda used one of the fire extinguisher containers to move the poison, but... When did he bring it there, then? When did Komaeda take the poison? I was trying to figure that out, and... That's when I realized it.

Hajime: Is that... The disturbing truth you were talking about?

Nanami: The two things... Probably happened at the same time.

Hajime: You don't mean... When we all threw the fire extinguishers?

Nanami: Mhm, I think that's it. When we all threw those fire extinguishers to try and put out the warehouse fire... The poison entered the warehouse... And turned into a gas which enveloped Komaeda...

Sonia: Th-Then... The one who brought the poison there... The one who caused Mr. Komaeda to inhale the poison...

Hajime: It was one of us...!

Souda: Wh-What the fuck...!

Kuzuryuu: So one of us... Threw the poison-filled fire extinguisher and killed Komaeda?

Owari: W-Wait! Then Komaeda...

Nanami: His death... Can no longer be called a suicide.

Souda: ...What the hell?! You said it yourself! YOU SAID THAT HE COMMITTED SUICIDE!

Owari: Th-Then... Who killed Komaeda?

Nanami: You mean... Who's the true culprit?

Hajime: ...Can we even know?

Nanami: Who prepared the poison-filled fire extinguisher which killed Komaeda?

Hajime: That was Komaeda... We just talked about that...

Nanami: Then, who was the person who set up the situation which required the fire extinguishers to be thrown in the first place?

Hajime: That was... Also Komaeda.

Owari: Hey, why're you just saying the same stuff over and over?!

Nanami: This next one is the last one. From what we know so far, then... ...Why did Komaeda set the fire in the warehouse?

Hajime: Surely... He couldn't have... He set the fire in the warehouse just to make us throw the fire extinguishers...?!

Kuzuryuu: He set the fire just so we could put it out? Why the fuck would he...

Nanami: ...It was a trap.

Kuzuryuu: T-Trap...?

Nanami: Preparing the poison, making the apparatus for throwing the poison... All that was done by Komaeda. It was all a dangerous trap... So that one of us would throw the poison into the warehouse.

Owari: S-So... Who the hell did it?!

Nanami: I don't know... Not even the person who did it can know.

Souda: ...What?

Kuzuryuu: Y-You can't mean... That was Komaeda's trap?!

Hajime: This wasn't a murder that someone planned to commit... It was one that Komaeda forced them to commit. That's why that bastard... Mixed up that poison-filled container with all the other ones...! Creating a culprit whose identity was known to no one... That was Komaeda's plan!

Souda: What, what, what, what... WHAT THE FFFFFFUUUUUUUUCK?!

Sonia: So Mr. Komaeda did not simply commit suicide... He orchestrated his own murder...?

Nanami: And to do that, Komaeda dug a trap to force someone to murder him... The fire extinguishers, the fire, were all a trap... Even picking the curtain as the starting place of the fire... All of the fire extinguishers we threw at the curtain fell and broke on the floor... And thanks to that, Komaeda, who was on the ground, was able to breathe in the heavy poison gas. And then...

Kuzuryuu: W-Wait... Then you can't prove that the poison was the cause of death! Even if he let go of that spear because of that poison, you can't definitively prove which thing actually caused his death...

Nanami: Even still, since it was the poison which caused the spear to fall...

Monokuma: That's right! The person who made him breathe in the poison is the murderer who killed Komaeda!

Kuzuryuu: Are you... Fucking kidding me...?!

Hajime: That was... The trap he dug... He created that horrific suicide... To try and distract us from the truth. His true motive... Was to create a culprit that no one could know the identity of. He threw us a riddle that's impossible to solve!

Monokuma: He must have known that you'd realize the suicide ruse was a distraction, right? After all, a solvable riddle is fated to be solved eventually. So he prepared an unsolvable one to follow it. First filling you with the hope that you'd solved the puzzle, then tossing you an even larger one... You'd been so convinced that there was no such thing as an unsolvable riddle that you'd be overcome with an unprecedented level of despair... Komaeda used the nature of all the previous trails to strengthen his trick. One to show you that not all riddles are solvable. Upupu, a warped trick worthy of Komaeda.

Souda: Th-This can't be true... This is fucking insane...

Sonia: It is my fault... If I had never mentioned those fire extinguishers... I-I am sorry! Please vote me as the culprit!

Kuzuryuu: This won't be solved that easily!

Souda: L-Lady Sonia, you haven't done anything wrong... All that... Was thanks to Komaeda...

Owari: Then what are we supposed to do? How do we find the culprit...?

Hajime: We can't...

Owari: W-We can't...?

Hajime: Komaeda wanted to create a situation where it would be impossible to decided. So now...

Sonia: B-But... Then Mr. Monokuma must not know the true culprit, either.

Souda: Th-That's right! You can't figure out that kinda thing just from a security camera! If Monokuma doesn't know, this trial is invalid! Right?!

Monokuma: You know, you shouldn't be talking about such a piddling little thing as those security cameras... I know everything that happens on this island like I'm holding it in the palm of my hand! Sonia, you went to the bathroom yesterday three times, right? One of those was a number two...

Sonia: S-Stop, please! You are ruining my chances for marriage!

Souda: Wh-What an enviable... I mean dangerous power...!

Monokuma: And so, this trial is not invalid. So work hard and pick me out a culprit!

Kuzuryuu: Pick out a culprit...? How the hell are we supposed to do that?!

Sonia: Is there no other choice... But to give up?

Nanami: No, it's too early to give up now.

Hajime: So there is a way? To find the culprit?

Nanami: I don't know yet, but... I think that might be the case... There might be... Just one way.

Owari: R-Really?!

Nanami: Could we go through everything Komaeda did again? I want to check if this idea of mine is true of not. So, Hajime... Could you do this for me?

Hajime: All right. I'll do it, then!

Act 1: The person who devised this crime was... The victim himself, Komaeda. He hid something that was necessary for the crime inside his room... The "Monokuma's Special Poison" that he got from the Octagon. Komaeda put on gloves and a gas mask that he got from the army facility, and switched the poison... With the contents of a fire extinguisher he brought from the kitchenette in the doll factory. When he did that, he left one thing behind as evidence. That was the piece of aluminum foil that had been sealing the fire extinguisher shut. Having finished his fire extinguisher of poison, Komaeda headed to the factory. He put it back somewhere among the other fire extinguishers in the kitchenette.

Act 2: The next day, Komaeda appeared before us and informed us that he moved the bombs to a different location... And while we were searching for those bombs, he went to the merchandise warehouse. Then, to set up his fire trick, Komaeda placed the Monokuma panels in a line in front of the door... And at the end of the line, right in front of the curtain, he placed a lit zippo lighter. And then Komaeda proceeded to carry out his insane plan. First, he hung the spear that he had brought from the Nezumi Castle on a beam in the ceiling... Then he used the ropes that he had previously tied to the warehouse to bind his hands and feet. One of those ropes, however, he had already cut to allow him movement. So once it appeared as if all his limbs had been tied down, but his right hand was actually free to move, Komaeda... Pulled down the weight at the end of the whip of the spear that he had hung over the ceiling beam... And lay underneath the spear. The true madness of his plan began there. He started doing something that no one in their right minds could have done. First, he taped his mouth shut so that none of his cries could escape... He slashed at his left arm first, then both his thighs. And finally... He used the knife that he had secured using the Monokuma doll to stab himself in the hand! To try and make us think that, unable to move his limbs, he had been tortured to death... And still, Komaeda did not let go of the spear. And his scheme wasn't over yet... Rather, it had only begun.

Act 3: Around that time, we saw Komaeda's video message at the doll factory... And headed immediately for the warehouse, but... That was all according to Komaeda's plan. The warehouse door opening was the trigger which set off the domino trick... And the panels which fell inside that dark warehouse knocked over the lighter... Which set the curtain aflame. Startled by the fire, we hurried to the factory's kitchenette and brought the fire extinguishers there... And threw each of them at the burning curtain. Not dreaming that one of those fire extinguishers was actually the fire extinguisher of poison that Komaeda had prepared... The poison spilled onto the floor, vaporized because of the heat of the fire, and spread across the room... And quickly reached Komaeda, who was behind the curtain. Also, since when the "Monokuma's Special Poison" turns into a gas, it's heavier than the surrounding air... Komaeda, who was lying on the ground, must have been surrounded by it. After breathing in that fast-acting poison, Komaeda would have died almost instantly... And as he let go of the weight in his left hand, the spear fell and stabbed him in the stomach. ...That was the scheme Komaeda had devised. Komaeda's true goal was to make one of us into the culprit... There's no way to know who the culprit is now... Not even the culprit knows. A truth that no amount of reasoning could get to... That was Komaeda's trap.

Hajime: An ending where it's impossible to know the true culprit... That is... The truth of Komaeda's trap...

Owari: So, whaddya think, Nanami? Do you think you can guess who the culprit is?

Sonia: Er... Miss Nanami?

Kuzuryuu: Just as I thought... You can't...!

Souda: So we just have to guess at random?!

Nanami: Everything that Hajime said just now... Should be right. The situation seemed doubtful to me, but... Could anyone... Really be the culprit? Remember what Komaeda said? The basis of Komaeda's trick was that trust. He trusted us to find the fire extinguishers... He trusted us to try and put out the fire... He trusted us to fall into his trap... It was because he trusted in us that he decided to stake his life on this trick.

Souda: ...Wha... Whaddya mean, trust...?

Kuzuryuu: So... What are you trying to get at?

Nanami: There was one more thing, right? That Komaeda truly believed in. ...Try and think of what that was.

Hajime: The thing he really believed in... Was his talent, the Super High School Level Luckster.

Souda: So did he mean that his own talent was the only thing that he would truly believe in 'til the end...?

Kuzuryuu: That's not that strange... After all, that's the case for most of us.

Nanami: But... He was particularly extreme about that, wasn't he? Didn't it seem almost like blind faith?

Hajime: That's right... Like when he was going through the Final Dead Room at the Surprise House. The guy was lucky, but so what? It doesn't have anything to do with this case, does it?

Nanami: It having nothing to do with this case... Would be strange. To base his trick solely on his faith in us, and not his luck... No, there's no way that was what happened... This was Komaeda after all.

Kuzuryuu: S-So... What did that bastard do?

Nanami: He wasn't hoping for just anyone to become the murderer. He had a specific target. A specific target that he wanted to turn into the culprit.

Owari: A target... Who?

Nanami: Not even Komaeda knew who, exactly... He trusted in his luck, and included that luck into his planning. He trusted that if he were truly lucky, his target would pick up the poison-filled fire extinguisher that he had prepared...

Sonia: So you mean... It was all a gamble?

Souda: He staked his life on that?!

Nanami: Perhaps... He put his life on the line because of his trust in his luck. It would fit someone called "Super High School Level Luckster", right?

Hajime: Who... Was it, then? Komaeda's target... Who were they? That's right... The traitor. Komaeda was aiming for the traitor, wasn't he?

Kuzuryuu: So you mean... Komaeda depended completely on his luck to help him get the traitor?!

Nanami: Komaeda never knew the traitor's identity... So he could only lean on his luck to help him.

Kuzuryuu: Than... What that bastard said in his video message...

Owari: It was all bullshit!

Nanami: Mhm... Because by that time, Komaeda had already put his plan into motion.

Owari: But, if he wanted to figure out who the traitor was, he didn't hafta do something as extreme as making them into a murderer...! Fuck, thanks to him, it just looks like the rest of us are all gonna die!

Kuzuryuu: ...He must have wanted us to turn over the traitor.

Souda: So after we found the traitor, and defeated that despair, our hope could shine brightly... ...That sounds like something the bastard would say.

Monokuma: Monomi... It looks like you have something to say, but stay quiet.

Nanami: ...That's the end of what I've reasoned out. Komaeda's plan was to force the traitor to murder him... What do you think? Do you guys believe my argument?

Hajime: ...We have to believe you.

Owari: If we don't... Then we have to just guess and hope we're lucky...

Souda: B-But... Even if we do believe her... What can we do? If we don't know who that traitor is, there's no point in voting...

Sonia: That is true... And I doubt they would come forward and confess at this point...

Nanami: If, back when he first made the bomb threat... If the traitor had confessed, what would have happened? Would Komaeda... Not have done all this?

Hajime: ...Huh?

Nanami: But... There's nothing they could have done... Since even if they had wanted to confess... They couldn't have... Since they weren't made that way.

Hajime: ...N-Nanami?

Monomi: What's wrong, Nanami? Please pull yourself together!

Nanami: So... I want you guys to try and guess.

Hajime: You want us to... Guess?

Nanami: Mhm, I'd like you to guess.

Hajime: What... Do you mean...?

Nanami: Hajime, who do you think it is? The traitor hidden amongst us... Who do you think it is?

Hajime: Wh-Why...?

Nanami: Someone who wouldn't be allowed to cast doubt on themselves... Even by saying something like, "I'm different from all of you."

Hajime: Why... Are you...?

Nanami: They could only have been with you guys as a traitor...

Hajime: Why... Why are you...?

Nanami: Because that was how they were... Because that was the only way that they could exist...

Hajime: So... Why...?

Nanami: The traitor... Who do you think it is? Hajime... I'm depending on you.

Hajime: I-It was... You...? Nanami... You were the traitor?

* * *

"She knew somehow," Komaeda said, "The real Nanami can be freed now, and we'll be ready to get back everyone else." "Seriously though," Celes said, "I am never playing poker against you." Fujisaki hit a few final keystrokes. "Everything's ready. I think... I think the reason why is because... A part of the real Enoshima was still inside the program. That's why she never resisted. She tried everything to perform her function... But in the end she found herself finding that which her creator said was meaningless." Naegi nodded. "Hope. This is what you wanted, Komaeda. A hope so strong it could overcome any despair." "Yeah," Komaeda said, "And at one hell of a discount."

* * *

Everyone else was on the verge of tears. What Nanami said next was surprising. "I'm not the real Chiaki Nanami." At that moment, Monomi seemed to vanish from the room. "She's gone back," Nanami said, "The real Nanami has been retrieved." She looked at Hajime. "You'll be finding out the truth soon enough. And I know you're brother will be grateful to have his family reunited. I was only doing as I was programmed to do, but Komaeda found a way to bypass that." Monokuma grinned. "Indeed. This entire game has a secret behind it. And Komaeda had found that secret out. To be honest, I'm actually sympathetic this time. But then again, the copy can never hold up to the original." And with that, Nanami walked into the execution chamber.

**Please Insert Coin**

Nanami was confined in a closed room. Monokuma came in while riding a tank and started to shooting at her, reminiscent of Space Invaders. However, Nanami managed to spot an exit and quickly escaped from the room. Monokuma chased her down in his tank, similar to a Pac-Man. Afterwards, Nanami entered another room, only to find out that there was a glass wall that prevented her from continuing. With the shutter behind her closing, she was trapped inside the small gap. Several Tetris blocks start to come down, eventually crushing Nanami. Once all the Tetris blocks in the last couple of rows were perfect lines, it then exploded.

* * *

After the trial, Hajime was in his cottage. What had Nanami meant when she said she wasn't the real Nanami? _**'Impossible. She had to be the real one. There's no other place she could have been. I felt her brain waves in the system.'**__ 'System?'__** 'It's all falling apart. At this rate nothing will be accomplished. Would they really send their friends into a coma just to end my plans?'**__ 'They? Who is this? And why am I hearing you inside my head?' __**'Damn. The system is growing weak. You aren't supposed to be aware of me. I had set things up perfectly, until that blasted Tora Wright interfered. Why didn't Matsuda kill him as I planned? It was vital.'**__ 'Kill Tora? But he's my brother!'_

* * *

For the first time in her life, Nanami was relieved to be back in the real world. "Thank goodness," she said as she and Komaeda embraced, "I've been just about every sort of character imaginable, but being stuck as a stuffed rabbit with no way to get out. I remember at first I was still in control of my avatar, but then I felt myself get forced out." "Sorry about the bunny abuse," Chihiro said, "It took us a while to realize that was you." Nanami shrugged. "Funny thing... I couldn't feel any pain inside the Monomi avatar. And the AI?" Tora pointed at the screen. "Gone. She realized what she was doing and allowed herself to be deleted." "I kinda feel bad for her," Enoshima said, "After all, she was only able to exist because of me." Alter Ego also started shedding some tears. 'If only her master hadn't been someone who intended to use her for such an evil purpose.'

To be continued...

**Epic finale coming up. Read and review.**


	7. Chapter 6: Goodbye Despair

**Finally. Disclaimer: I don't own Dangan Ronpa or Ace Attorney.**

Chapter 6: Goodbye Despair... No Seriously

"Okay guys," Tora said, a headset in his hands, "Time to reunite with our friends." The other members of the 78th class were standing in front of the simulation program. Fujisaki had already finished creating their avatars, in case Kamukura had something dangerous planned. "At this point, the simulation timer is almost done," he said, "Once it runs out, every still inside will be released. And without the AI to infect them, they'll still be themselves." Tora gave a nod to Enoshima, who delivered the usual announcement.

* * *

The next day, Hajime and the others tried the code that Sonia had thought of for the ruins. Sure enough, the doors opened easily. Inside was a strange sight. It was Hope's Peak Academy, sort of. Hajime thought it looked more like fallout shelter with school-like trappings. "Surprised folks?," Monokuma said as he came in, "Tomorrow we'll get to end this. But until then, feel free to look around as you please. You may find something interesting." Hajime looked around the various floor until he found something. It a book offering details regarding the prep school. From the sound of it, one random student per year would be selected to be given the chance to become a true Hope's Peak Academy student. Inside was a list of previous successes, with his name as the last one.

Time moved fast at the final day, and the students were gathered in the old trial room in the school's basement. "It's here where things will end," Monokuma said, "And to start with, I have something interesting to say... This world is nothing more than a simulation, Hajime." "Huh?," Hajime said, "Why did you say that to me alone?" Monokuma chuckled. "Because the others know, believe it or not. We'll get into the specifics in a little bit. But first, you should know your friends are still alive in the real world. They'll be here shortly." Sure enough, in a flurry of data, each of the previous students thought to be dead returned one by one.

"Yo," Ooshida said, "Nice of you to see the real me." Hanamura was his usual cheery self. Koizumi waved sheepishly. When Pekoyama came in, she blushed at the sight of Kuzuryuu relieved smile. "Yahoo!," Mioda said, "Ibuki's back for the encore!" Saionji appeared next, a cheerful smile on her face. Tsumiki showed up next, blushing. "This is an awkward reunion." Nidai showed up next, laughing hard. "I have returned from Hell yet again! And as a human this time!" "And he's not the only one," Tanaka said as he appeared as well. Komaeda showed up next. "Okay, let's just try to forget what happened earlier, shall we? I was just acting."

Finally, Nanami showed up. "Whew. Bunny ears no more." Hajime raised and eyebrow at that statement, then realized something. "Wait... So none of them died for real?" "Of course," Monokuma said, "I said this was just a simulation. Want more proof?" He made a gesture, and Kuzuryuu's eyepatch disappeared, revealing his right eye to be perfectly fine. "Great," Kuzuryuu said, "I was gettin' tired of that." "Next up," Monokuma said, "Is to bring out the big bad himself." Suddenly, Hajime felt a severe pain in his head. By the time it stopped, he became aware that his hair was now falling in front of his eyes. Looking at himself, he realized his appearance had changed, to what it had been in the file.

"Damn you," came a voice from behind him, "This is not what I planned at all." Hajime turned to see a familiar face. He was wearing a suit much like his own, but looked to be at least sixty years old, and had short white hair that was elegantly styled. Hajime realized who it was. "You... I saw your picture in the Surprise House." "Indeed," Monokuma said, "Meet Izuru Kamukura, the founder of Hope's Peak Academy. Which makes it very ironic that he's also the instigator of The World's Most Despair-Inducing Incident." "Indeed," Kamukura said, "But how did you piece it all together?" Monokuma chuckled. "Just a minute. We still have the rest of the class to bring in."

At that moment the trial room expanded to be able to hold double the amount of students, a total of thirty-two. Monokuma stepped up to one of the empty podiums and started glowing white. Then his form split into sixteen, each piece taking an empty podium. The lights dimmed down to reveal the other sixteen students. Hajime looked on as his brother Tora showed right next to him. "Hey big bro," Tora said, "I missed you." Hajime got over his shock and smiled. He then proceeded to do as he usually did, and grabbed his brother in a playful headlock. "Ah! No noogies, no noogies!," Tora cried out in fake protest. Hajime laughed as he released Tora. "Seriously though, how come Dad isn't here?"

"He's still on the outside," Tora said, "Watching the whole thing." He then turned to Kamukura. "So, we're finally here. Despite all your plans, we've all managed to survive. What do you have to say to that?" Kamukura slammed his hand on the chair he had been tied to. "Damn you! You and your family have always been thorns in my side!" "Really?," Hajime said, "This is first I've heard of you." "True," Kamukura said, "But your grandfather knows of me. You see, he was the first student to graduate from my prestigious academy, the first Super High School Level Attorney. And what's the first thing he did? Get my own son outed as a criminal!"

"That's not grandpa's fault," Hajime said, "Your son shouldn't have committed any crime to begin with." "So just because of that," Komaeda said, "You lost faith in the very hope you wanted to propagate? I gotta say, I'm disappointed. Do you know who many people have built successful futures because of your academy? And now you've brought it crashing down." "Sounds kinda petty, really," Saionji said, "I mean, your son was a criminal. Someone was bound to out him sooner or later. Tora and Hajime's grandpa just saved everyone the trouble." Sayaka put hand to her chin. "But, how did he even do all this? I mean, appear here in the digital realm."

"Truth be told," Togami said, "Kamukura's body died a few months before we started our time at the academy. But in the meantime, he had convinced Yasuke Matsuda to assist him in preserving his mind. Being the Super High School Level Neurologist, Matsuda was more than qualified for the job." "So he scanned Kamukura's brainwaves on a CD-Rom," Fujisaki said, "And then uploaded them into the Ultimate Hope Program, where they were downloaded into Hajime." Hajime looked shocked. "What?! He downloaded himself into my mind! I feel transgressed and violated!" "Guess that's what you get for trying to fast-track your way to a super talent," Tora said.

Hajime's eyebrow twitched. "Well if my little brother hadn't wound up getting into the main academy, I wouldn't have felt the need..." "Come on you two," Tsumiki said, "This is no time for sibling rivalry." Tora and Hajime both cleared their throats. "Seriously though," Hajime said, "I was really proud when I learned you got accepted." Kamukura scoffed. "Well, none of that matter at this point. You've all made a critical error in coming here all at once. AI, get them!" But nothing happened. Kamukura looked at Nanami. "What are you waiting for?" "Oh, I'm sorry," Nanami said, "You seem to be mistaking me for the AI Junko. Yeah, she's already been deleted. Too bad, I think she was falling for Hajime."

Hajime blushed. "Wow, I had a computer in love with me. That's both sweet and strange. But wait, then where was Nanami the whole time?" "Simple," Nanami said, "The system stuck my mind inside Monomi. I was dormant until Fujisaki got hold of the program, then he transferred me into a empty avatar. From there he was able to help me slowly but surely infiltrate my real body and try to erase the AI. It was easier than we thought, since she didn't even resist." Kamukura was surprised. "What? She went against her programming out of love?" "That's what you get for underestimating AIs," Fujisaki said, "Given time, they can become something very much like ordinary humans."

"I think I'm starting to get it," Hajime said, "But if that's the case, the simulation must not be very strong." Fujisaki nodded. "It was designed so that if anything fatal happened to a person inside the simulation, they'd be kicked out immediately." "Though to be honest," Komaeda said as he massaged his left arm, "There are some stinging aftereffects." "When you saw Monokuma speaking about the mutual killing game," Enoshima explained, "Everyone else saw Tora explaining the situation. We got the ideas for each from the various notes Kamukura had written." Hajime nodded. "Okay." He then turned to Kamukura. "But seriously. That was a dick move taking over my body. To think that could have happened to anyone."

"Technically you're right," Kamukura said, "The Ultimate Hope Project is decided randomly. But Matsuda thought it might be interesting to have me take over the very flesh and blood of the man took everything from me." "You really loved your son that much, huh?," Naegi asked, "Because considering everything you had in life, none of which was effected by his arrest, I'd say you came out ahead." Kamukura frowned. "You guys aren't buying my story are you." Everyone shook their heads. "Like we said," Asahina said, "It just sounds petty. Which is going to make our next move rather unceremonious compared to how Matsuda met his end." "Oh," Kamukura said, "So that's why he didn't contact me to maintain the system."

Fujisaki made a motion like he was typing on a keyboard. "I think it's time your mind joined your body." Kamukura sighed as his form was reduced to bit-code. "Cheese logs..." "Wow," Hajime said, "All that because he thought his son got a raw deal. And half the world paid for it." Tora nodded. "He felt that hope was a lie, and wanted to prove it. But hey, on the bright side, the two of us are on even ground now." Hajime smiled and nodded. "Yeah. By the way... Tsumiki said you're her boyfriend. Is that...?" Tora grinned. "Yeah, but it's slightly more complicated than that. See, she's also in love with Enoshima, who's also in love with me." Hajime thought about that for a second. "Okay, I'm a Super High School Level Scholar, and even I find that confusing. Though not head-spinning." That got everyone to laugh."

* * *

The next few years would be spent picking up the pieces of what was left of society. Luckily, with Kamukura dead, many of his followers began surrendering. And without them to keep things along, the damage was not permanent. Togami, with Fukawa by his side, slowly but surely began rebuilding his family's empire. Fukawa soon had material for a brand new novel. As for Genocider, she eventually faded altogether. Sonia was officially crowned queen of Novoselic, and took Tanaka as her king. Under Tanaka's care, the country soon was home to the world's greatest nature preserve. Celes successfully obtained her dream, and she and Yamada officially moved in. The castle they chose quickly became a center of both gambling and anime. Ishimaru was made Prime Minister of Japan, with Oowada being made Secretary of Defense. Komeada and Nanami simply settled in peace in the coutryside, while Fujisaki and Saionji moved into the big city, where Fujisaki started his own computer company.

Ooshida began working as a goverment spy, though always made time to come back home to the Hanamura restaurant. Nidai and Owari opened a gym together, and it wouldn't be long before one of their trainees got into the newly restarted Olympics. Souda got back to work at his family's bike shop, which soon expanded to other types of machine repair. It got great press thanks to Koizumi's help. After Asahina and Hagakure had their first child, it wasn't long before more followed. Luckily, Hagakure's fortune-telling business was more than enough to put food on the table. Asahina herself headed up the Japanese police. Kuwata got back to his baseball career, and it wasn't long before he was setting a new record for home-runs. Mioda managed to form her own death metal band, which proved a much bigger hit than her old girl group.

Kuzuryuu, along with Pekoyama, started rebuilding his family from the ground up. Years later, people would say the Kuzuryuu family set the new standard for mobster families. Ooagami eventually returned to a slimmer form, but was still strong enough to kick anyone's ass, just in time for her boyfriend Kenichi to recover. Together they started the next generation of her family's dojo. Naegi continued his work as a public speaker, and through him many cities and governments found the strength to pick up the pieces and rebuild. Between Ikusaba's military work, Maizono's singing career, and Kirigiri's work as a detective, the three of them rarely had a chance to be with Naegi at once, so they always took the opportunity when they could.

Eventually, ten years later, Tora put the finishing touches on the newly rebuilt Wright and Co. Law Offices. "Great job bro," Hajime said, "But now we'll need a larger place. Between Tsumiki and Enoshima, you've got a lot of kids to take care of." Tora laughed. "Yeah, but that's one of the perks of having a nurse for a lover. She's more than capable of taking the majority of the work. Not that I don't pull my own weight." He looked out at the skyline, once again filled with activity instead of debris. "Future's looking bright. And it looks like hope has won in the end."

The End

**I hope this wasn't too rushed, but to be fair it'd be hard to top the finale of the previous story. Regardless, read and review. And keep an eye out for more of my projects.**


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